French footballer Kylian Mbappé has apologized after a comment he made about Mao Zedong cost him sponsorship deals in China, according to Forbes. The forward described the remark as ill-judged following criticism in the country, the BBC reported. Forbes reported the apology came after Chinese brands dropped their partnerships with him.
Coverage of the episode was widespread. Reuters reported that Mbappé apologized to China over what it described as "ill-judged" comments tied to a Mao meme. Al Jazeera reported that the player lost Chinese sponsors after referring to Mao as a "Chinese dictator." The Guardian also reported that he was dropped by Chinese brands over the comment.
The fallout extended beyond the sponsorships. Yahoo Sports reported that the episode sparked a wider reaction in China, describing it as a stunning fallout. Business Insider Africa reported that China dropped Mbappé over the Mao Zedong joke, and noted the timing coincided with England's Harry Kane beating him to the Ballon d'Or. The Eagle Online reported that he lost two China sponsorships over the joke.
Mbappé's apology was carried by multiple outlets, including Punch Newspapers, which reported he apologized over the Mao Zedong comment. The exact wording of his statement was not included in the reporting summarized here.
Attention now turns to whether the affected Chinese sponsorships are restored and how the episode affects Mbappé's commercial standing in the Chinese market.