Mbappé at the Center of a China Controversy: Three Sponsors Drop Him, His Matches Are Suspended and LaLiga Apologizes

A viral clip from the show The Bridge shows Kylian Mbappé describing a joke involving an edited image that places his face over that of a Chinese leader, apparently Mao Zedong. The footage sparked outrage in China, although AFP and Reuters said they could not independently authenticate it. Energy-drink maker Dongpeng announced it was immediately ending its partnership with Mbappé, citing a zero-tolerance policy toward conduct that could hurt national sentiment. The provided article text cuts off as it begins mentioning dairy giant Mengniu.