Chinese broadcasters pause La Liga after Mbappe gaffe

The dispute over a single interview clip has halted Spanish football broadcasts in China and severed several commercial ties. The controversy began when Kylian Mbappe made a comment about a historical figure during a recent appearance on the French program The Bridge.

The primary conflict centers on a visual joke. In the now-removed clip, Mbappe called a meme amusing. The meme superimposed his face onto the portrait of Mao Zedong. He identified the figure as a Chinese dictator. Historians attribute millions of deaths to Mao, making mockery of him a sensitive topic in China.

Key consequences for the league and the player have followed quickly. China Media Group, which manages CCTV, announced it is suspending coverage of La Liga. This pause affects the world's second-richest football league. The league's governing body expressed deep regret for the offense caused to Chinese fans.

Commercial partnerships have also dissolved. Beverage company Dongpeng ended its deal with the 27-year-old on Tuesday. The brand had used AI-generated images of him in ads for the World Cup earlier this year. Dairy firms Mengniu and Milkground also dropped their agreements with the France captain.

Digital access to the player has been restricted. His accounts on Xiaohongshu and Weibo were frozen. Weibo posted a notice citing violations of community rules or laws. Dior and Hublot removed content featuring him from their Weibo pages. A search for his Chinese name on those pages yields no results.

The situation contrasts with his previous standing in the country. For years, state media praised his skills. His image appeared on billboards and drink packaging. Fans gave him the nickname Guigui, meaning turtle, due to his resemblance to a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character.

On Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun addressed the matter. He stated, “We take seriously the apology the individual concerned has made.” Mbappe had apologized on Tuesday in three languages, calling his remarks ill-judged. The People's Daily published an opinion piece this week urging international celebrities to respect local history and customs. A similar pause in NBA broadcasts occurred in 2019 after a remark regarding Hong Kong.