Real Madrid apologise to Chinese people for Mbappe’s Mao ‘dictator’ remark

Mocking Mao Zedong is taboo in China, which is a lucrative market for players and teams such as Kylian Mbappe’s Real.Published On 28 Oct 202628 Oct 2026La Liga club Real Madrid ⁠⁠issued an apology on Wednesday ⁠⁠after their French superstar Kylian Mbappe triggered a fierce backlash over his comments referring to the former Chinese leader Mao ⁠⁠Zedong as a “dictator”.After apologies from Mbappe and La Liga failed to quell the negative response in China, La Liga President Javier Tebas set up a crisis unit ⁠⁠and met with Chinese ambassador Yao Jing.The controversy highlighted the risks for athletes and brands in the lucrative Chinese market, where satire about Mao, modern China’s founding leader, who ruled the country from 1949 until his death in 1976, remains a social taboo.“Real Madrid CF wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for any discomfort caused by the recent words of our player Kylian Mbappe,” Real said in a statement.“Our club maintains a deep respect for China, its history, its culture and its citizens, as well ⁠⁠as for the millions of Chinese fans who ⁠⁠feel affection and admiration for Real Madrid,” the statement added.Real Madrid game not on TVChina’s sta...