Kylian Mbappé apologized after the joke about Mao Zedong, which triggered negative reactions and the suspension of some collaborations in China

French footballer Kylian Mbappé apologized after making a joke about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong during an interview with the French program The Bridge. The statement sparked negative reactions in China and among Chinese communities around the world, while several brands in the country suspended their partnerships with the Real Madrid forward.

Mbappé explained that he had reacted to a digitally altered image in which his face was superimposed over Mao Zedong’s, the former Chinese communist leader responsible for policies associated with the deaths of tens of millions of people. The footballer said he found the meme amusing and described Mao as “a Chinese dictator.”

Later, the France captain said that his remark was “poorly thought out” and that he understood it had hurt many people. “I apologize to everyone who was offended by my words. That was absolutely not my intention,” Mbappé said.

Chinese companies strongly condemned the statement and said they had “zero tolerance” for actions or words that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people. LaLiga president Javier Tebas announced that he had met with China’s ambassador to Spain to discuss the situation and identify ways to overcome the controversy.