Mao Zedong: Creator of Mbappé Meme Speaks Out Amid China Crisis

Younes Khelifi, known as “frenchaicovers” on X, told So Foot on October 28, 2026, that he created a 2023 montage depicting Kylian Mbappé as Mao Zedong as a joke among friends. He said he initially feared legal action from the player’s family and considered contacting the French embassy in China, while expressing surprise at the incident’s international reach. Khelifi said he felt no guilt but was sorry Mbappé had been caught up in the situation. Chinese brands Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground ended their contracts with Mbappé, and state broadcaster CMG suspended broadcasts of La Liga matches.