It hasn’t been the greatest stretch for Kylian Mbappé lately. The French star headed into the 2026 World Cup with high hopes, as his team was considered the favorite, yet they fell short, losing 2-0 to Spain in the semifinals. To add to his disappointments, he lost the prestigious Ballon d’Or award to Harry Kane on Monday night.
Despite a standout performance in “El Clásico” against Barcelona, where he scored two goals, Real Madrid’s goal differential of +15 through the first ten matches of the La Liga season doesn’t hold a candle to Barcelona’s impressive +29. Plus, he chose not to wear a particular shirt that his teammates sported, which was meant to show support for Cueta amid a surge of illegal immigration from Morocco.
Then came Tuesday, which somehow managed to get even worse for him. Mbappé found himself in hot water after appearing on a French talk show, “The Bridge,” hosted by teammate Aurelien Tchouameni. His misstep? Laughing at a meme that featured a Chinese dictator with his face superimposed. He mentioned that “the one that makes me laugh the most” was an image where his face was placed over that of what appeared to be Mao Zedong.
Mao, a historical figure known for his brutal dictatorship, was responsible for policies that led to the deaths of millions, and many consider him one of history’s greatest villains. Yet, in the world of professional sports today, there seem to be certain groups—like the Chinese Communist Party—that athletes must tread lightly around, primarily due to the financial interests that exist in China.
Mbappé issued an apology, stating, “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologize to everyone my words have upset. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.”
Adding fuel to the fire, the entire Spanish soccer league joined in, making a formal apology: “La Liga deeply regrets the offense caused by Kylian Mbappé’s recent comments among Chinese fans… To the extent of our institutional responsibility, we apologize on behalf of LALIGA and all its clubs.”
It’s a recurring theme—athletes and public figures who prioritize their commercial ties, often overlooking significant human rights issues when it comes to China. Dan Dakich, from OutKick, criticized Mbappé’s handling of the situation, noting that many people may not realize just how influential soccer players like him are globally. He said, “Mbappé has all kinds of commercials, all kinds of billboards, all kinds of business interests all over China… well, that’s all being threatened to go away.”
The quick backlash came from the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, who commented, “If you’re going to get in bed with Communist China… then you better just sit back, take your money, and quit screwing around.” The freedoms athletes enjoy in the Western world are not universal, which Dakich highlighted, as he mentioned that political expressions are largely free in places like the U.S. but can have severe consequences when it comes to China.
He went on to say, “This is going to cost Mbappé a ton of money. A ton. I mean, this is going to be something that he cannot recover from now. Does he care? Don’t know. Should he care? Don’t know. I don’t even a little bit.” And with that, he remarked on how often athletes are quick to back down when their financial interests are at stake. They might readily speak out on social issues when it’s convenient but shift gears when real consequences arise.
