Kylian Mbappe loses Chinese sponsors after calling Mao a ‘Chinese dictator’

Kylian Mbappe has lost two major Chinese sponsors after a video circulated in which he referred to Mao Zedong as “some guy – I think he’s a Chinese dictator,” apparently discussing a meme featuring his face. Dongpeng Beverage and Mengniu announced that they were immediately ending their partnerships with the French captain, citing their opposition to words or actions that offend Chinese people. Jokes about Mao, China’s founding leader who died in 1976, remain taboo in the country. The Real Madrid forward had previously been hugely popular among Chinese fans.