The French striker, who ranks third on Forbes’ list of highest-paid soccer stars, faced backlash after he appeared to describe Mao Zedong as a “Chinese dictator.”

Kylian Mbappé apologised on Tuesday after a clip appeared to show him referring to Mao Zedong as a dictator, triggering backlash in China and costing him at least three brand deals

Mbappe was asked which online meme makes him laugh the most, to which he answered "the one where they put my face on a Chinese dictator".

Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe enjoyed an extraordinary 2025-26 campaign, scoring 42 goals for his club and another ten at the World Cup.His performances made him one of the leading contenders

MADRID, Oct 27 - France and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has drawn public lines against extremism and police violence in his home country, but a joke about his own power in football carried him across a different boundary on Tuesday and forced him to apologise to China over an apparent reference to Mao Zedong.

When Kylian Mbappé lightheartedly referenced a popular online meme involving a past Chinese leader, the reaction from Beijing was immediate and severe.

As one of the world's foremost football stars, Kylian Mbappe has significant global appeal, but his public perception has faced challenges in recent years, the latest being offensive remarks that offended the Chinese community.