Mbappé dropped by Chinese sponsors Dongpeng and Mengniu over Mao meme
Chinese drinks maker Dongpeng and dairy groups Mengniu and Milkground have ended their deals with Kylian Mbappé over a clip in which he appears to joke about a meme of his face on Mao Zedong, a day after he finished second in the Ballon d'Or.
At a glance
- Chinese energy-drink maker Dongpeng Beverage and dairy companies Mengniu and Milkground have ended their sponsorship deals with Kylian Mbappé with immediate effect.
- The brands acted over a video clip in which the Real Madrid and France forward appears to say his favourite meme puts his face on a man he calls a Chinese dictator — an apparent reference to Mao Zedong.
- China's foreign ministry said the remarks hurt the feelings of the Chinese people; Dongpeng's announcement topped Weibo's trending list with close to 400 million views.
- The clip appears to come from a French talk-show interview filmed earlier in 2026 and has not been independently verified; Mbappé has not commented.
- The row broke a day after Mbappé, 27, finished runner-up to Harry Kane at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London.
Kylian Mbappé has lost three sponsorship deals in China after a video spread online in which the Real Madrid and France forward appears to joke about a meme that puts his face on Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic. Energy-drink maker Dongpeng Beverage and dairy companies Mengniu and Milkground said on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, that they were ending all cooperation with him with immediate effect, saying his remarks had offended Chinese national sentiment.
What happened
The clip, which circulated widely on social media on Monday, shows Mbappé being asked about the memes made of him. He appears to say that the one that made him laugh most showed his face on "some guy" whom he describes as a Chinese dictator, and that he would use it often with friends online. The image is understood to be a widely shared edit of Mbappé's face on a portrait of Mao.
The video appears to come from a backstage interview recorded earlier in 2026 for a French-language talk show. The programme has since removed the clip from its social media accounts, but copies remain online. Its authenticity has not been independently verified, and Mbappé has not addressed it publicly.
| Company | Business | Relationship with Mbappé | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dongpeng Beverage | Energy and electrolyte drinks | Brand ambassador since April 2026, ahead of the World Cup | All cooperation ended, immediate effect |
| Mengniu | China's largest dairy producer | Sponsorship partner | Cooperation ended, immediate effect |
| Milkground | Dairy and cheese products | Sponsorship partner | Partnership terminated |
Dongpeng said it "firmly opposes" and has zero tolerance for any behaviour that offends national sentiment. Mengniu said it opposes any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.
Reactions in China
The response went beyond the companies. Asked about the clip, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Mbappé's words and deeds had hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and would be rejected across Chinese society.
On Weibo, China's main microblogging platform, the hashtag about Dongpeng ending its deal became the top trending topic, with nearly 400 million views on the related page. Some users said the forward had crossed "the red line" and called on Dongpeng to remove his image from its drink bottles. Others said they could not find out what he had actually said, because the original footage was not available on Chinese platforms and sites such as YouTube, Instagram and Reddit are blocked in mainland China. Football platform Dongqiudi said on Monday evening that it would not translate the remarks because they were offensive to China and its people.
Background
Mao, who led China from 1949 until his death in 1976, appears on every Chinese banknote, and jokes about him remain a strong social taboo in the country. Edited images showing Mbappé as various historical strongmen have circulated for months. In a September interview, Mbappé said that some of these memes were light-hearted and funny, but that he did not like being compared with such figures because of the harm they caused.
The timing was difficult for the 27-year-old. The furore erupted a day after he finished second to England captain Harry Kane in the Ballon d'Or at a ceremony in London on Monday, October 26.
China is one of football's most valuable sponsorship markets, and global sports stars have faced similar commercial fallout before after remarks seen in China as offensive or political. Chinese brands usually act within hours once a topic trends on social media, and few deals have been restored afterwards.
Why it matters
Mbappé is one of the most marketable players in the world, and Chinese consumer brands have been among his growing list of commercial partners since the build-up to the 2026 World Cup. Losing three deals in a day is a financial and reputational blow, and the row could make other companies in China — and global brands with large Chinese businesses — wary of working with him.
The case is also another reminder for athletes and clubs that comments made in one market, even casually and months earlier, can quickly cause damage in another. For Real Madrid, which has a large fan base in Asia, the club will be keen to keep the dispute from affecting its own commercial activities in China.
What happens next
The key question is whether Mbappé or his representatives respond. An apology or explanation — for example, saying he did not know who the image showed — could ease the pressure, though it is unlikely to bring back the lost contracts quickly. Other Chinese partners of the player or his clubs may also face questions from their customers in the coming days.
On the pitch, Mbappé arrives at the row in top form: he scored twice, including a late winner, as Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2–1 at Camp Nou on Sunday, October 25, and his next matches with the club will now be watched closely in China as well as in Spain.
Questions people are asking
Why did Chinese brands drop Kylian Mbappé?
Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground ended their deals after a video spread in which Mbappé appears to laugh about a meme showing his face on Mao Zedong and calls the figure a Chinese dictator. The companies said the remarks offended Chinese national sentiment.
Which sponsors has Mbappé lost in China?
He has lost energy-drink maker Dongpeng Beverage, which made him a brand ambassador in April 2026, and dairy companies Mengniu and Milkground. All three said the termination was immediate.
Has Mbappé apologised for the Mao joke?
No. As of October 27, 2026, Mbappé has not publicly addressed the clip, and neither he nor Real Madrid has commented. The authenticity of the video has not been independently verified.
