Mbappé’s political turmoil shows how sensitive Mao’s legacy is in China
JADE GAO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Mbappé’s face is a common sight on buses and in subways in China. His commerical deals may be worth £22.6m annually Sorry state ‘It’s a race to cut ties the quickest, who can be the most patriotic’ 29 Oct 2026 - The Guardian Rebecca Bailey It’s been a bad start to the week for the Kylian Mbappé. The France forward missed out on the Ballon d’Or and instead became the latest addition to a less illustrious list – that of foreign brands and individuals charged with “hurting the feelings of the Chinese people”. The saga began when a video of the player making light of a meme involving him and China’s former leader Mao Zedong began spreading. Mbappé found himself condemned online, dropped by brands, then held responsible for state television suspending La Liga from its schedule. On Tuesday Mbappé apologised – “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China” – as did La Liga, which released a statement saying it “deeply r...