Mbappé Apologizes After ‘Dictator’ Mao Comment: What to Know About the Chinese Backlash

French soccer captain and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has apologized to China for calling Mao Zedong a “dictator,” a comment that prompted fierce criticism and institutional reprisals.“My comment was ill-judged,” Mbappé said in a statement in three languages. “I apologize to everyone my words have upset.”In a video clip from the French talk show “The Bridge” posted on Monday, Mbappé had referred to Mao as “some guy—I think he’s a Chinese dictator” as he described a meme in which his face was photoshopped onto a picture of the late founder and chairman of the Chinese Communist Party. The clip was behind-the-scenes footage from a podcast filmed in March, the podcast said. It has since been removed from the show’s social media accounts. “The Bridge” also apologized to Chinese fans, as well as to Mbappé.The meme is part of an internet trend where soccer fans have superimposed Mbappé’s face onto pictures of military and political leaders as a play on Mbappé’s nickname “the dictator,” referring to the Real Madrid player’s perceived authority and influence over football clubs and the media. Even Mbappé’s French teammate Ousmane Dembélé made a joke about the moniker during the 2026 W...