Mbappé calls Mao Zedong a dictator: China suspends Liga broadcasts

In an interview, Kylian Mbappé joked about a photomontage combining his face with that of Mao Zedong, a sensitive historical figure in China. The remark provoked a strong backlash, and the player’s account was blocked on major Chinese social media platforms. On October 27, companies Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground announced they were ending their partnerships with him, while state broadcaster CMG suspended broadcasts of Spanish Liga matches in China. Mbappé and the Liga apologized, with the league stating that the comments were the player’s alone.