Full Breakdown
Chinese Brands Drop Mbappé Over Mao Meme
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Core Event: Brands End Partnerships After “Chinese Dictator” Comment
On October 27 2026, French captain Kylian Mbappé apologised after three Chinese companies—beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground—announced they were terminating their endorsement agreements with him. Each statement said the star’s remarks “hurt national sentiment.”
02
Background & Context
Mbappé has been a prominent advertising face in China for years, appearing in campaigns for electrolyte drinks, milk and cheese. The meme of Mbappé as a dictator has circulated online for several years, but the specific reference to a “Chinese dictator” triggered a rapid backlash in a market where jokes about Mao are considered a social taboo. Chinese state media reported that public broadcaster CCTV suspended all La Liga matches and removed advertisements featuring Mbappé.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
03
Timeline
- April 2024 – The interview for “The Bridge” was recorded (verified by Al Jazeera).
- December 31 2024 – Social platform RedNote ended its content partnership with Mbappé.
- October 27 2026 – Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground announced termination of contracts; Mbappé issued a public apology; La Liga and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released statements; CCTV halted La Liga broadcasts.
04
Data & Statistics
- The hashtag #DongpengEndsPartnership recorded 430 million views, according to Chinese media reports.
- Four Mbappé-related topics remained among the top 10 trending searches on Weibo as of 07:00 GMT on October 27.
05
Official Statements & Responses
- Milkground echoed the same language, citing opposition to conduct that hurts national sentiment.
- CCTV reportedly removed all Mbappé-related content and suspended La Liga broadcasts, as reported by state-backed outlet The Paper.
06
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the number of brands that cut ties. Reuters, AP and most outlets cite three companies (Dongpeng, Mengniu, Milkground). The Strait Times and some local reports mention only two major brands (Dongpeng and Mengniu), omitting Milkground. No source provides a definitive list of all affected sponsorships beyond the three named firms.
07
Verbatim Quotes
- “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologise to everyone my words have upset,” — Kylian Mbappé
- “We are taking the measures within our reach and working directly with our partners and interlocutors in China to overcome this situation,” — Javier Tebas, spain's laliga president
- “With immediate effect our company is terminating all cooperation with Kylian Mbappe,” — World Cup. Mengniu, dairy producer
- “Our company firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy toward any actions that offend national sentiments,” — Beverage-maker Dongpeng
- “Mbappe's team knew, or should have known, what the true cost of Chinese brand endorsements was all about,” — Terrence Burns, sports sponsorship expert and CEO of the T
- “In attempting to laugh at himself and his reputation of being a dictator in the locker room, he apparently crossed a red line he didn't know was there,” — Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management
These quotes capture Mbappé’s apology, La Liga’s response, Mengniu’s termination notice, Dongpeng’s policy statement, expert criticism, and a representative Weibo reaction.