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Kylian Mbappé and China controversy: What happened as TV broadcaster decides to stop showing games
Real Madrid has now officially apologized after the controversy surrounding their star striker Kylian Mbappé and China. Mbappé himself already said sorry for his “ill-judged” remarks when he called the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong a “dictator.” After his comments, several Chinese brands stopped working with him, and La Liga also apologized for any offense caused by Mbappé’s words.
However, Real Madrid hadn’t apologized to Chinese fans until recently. Now, they’ve been warned that the ban on broadcasting their matches in China will continue until they address the issue properly.
The Sports and Youth Programming Center of China Media Group (CMG), which manages sports shows on China’s main TV channels like CCTV-5, stopped showing Real Madrid games effective immediately. They said the club needs to apologize formally before things can move forward.
In a statement on Wednesday, CMG rejected Real Madrid’s claim that their Chinese sponsor relationships were not affected and said the ban would stay until the club made an official apology. A spokesperson said, “Mbappé’s out-of-line comments hurt the Chinese people, crossed a red line, and went beyond freedom of speech.” They added that since Mbappé plays for Real Madrid, the club must take responsibility and that they do not accept the club’s excuse that Mbappé didn’t mean to offend or that players have the right to their personal views.
Real Madrid finally released a statement on Wednesday apologizing for the “discomfort” caused by Mbappé’s words. It’s not clear yet if this apology will be enough to calm things down and lift the broadcast ban.
Here’s part of Real Madrid’s apology:
“Real Madrid C.F. sincerely apologizes to the Chinese people for any discomfort caused by recent comments made by our player Kylian Mbappé. Our club has deep respect for China, its history, culture, and fans who admire Real Madrid. Mbappé has also expressed his regret and respect toward the Chinese people. We reaffirm our commitment to respect, understanding, and friendship with China.”
The issue started when Mbappé appeared on the French talk show The Bridge and was asked about memes featuring him. He joked about a viral meme comparing him to a Chinese dictator, referring to Mao. This upset many in China, where Mao is still an important historical figure despite the hardships linked to his rule.
Mbappé later said, “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand it hurt many people in China and Chinese communities worldwide. I apologize to everyone my words upset.”
Apart from the broadcast ban, Chinese companies like Dongpeng Beverage, Mengniu, and Milkground ended their partnerships with Mbappé over this controversy.
Real Madrid could also face financial effects since China makes up about 10–15% of their international merchandise sales. The club also earns money from Mbappé’s image rights, so if commercial deals suffer, it could have a bigger impact.
Stay tuned for updates as this story develops!