Mbappé faces boycott in China

Kylian Mbappé, the captain of the French national football team and a player for Real Madrid, is facing a boycott in China due to alleged comments that "offended national feelings." This comes after reports suggest he made remarks in a video about memes targeting him, including one that superimposed his face on a man he believes to be "a Chinese dictator."

CCTV suspends Mbappé-related content

China's state-owned public television channel, CCTV, has suspended the broadcast of Spanish La Liga matches where Mbappé may appear. The channel has also removed all advertisements featuring the French footballer. This decision, reported by local media and cited by the Spanish news agency EFE, took effect during the night of Monday to Tuesday.

Chinese companies end partnerships with Mbappé

Three Chinese companies—Dongpeng, Mengniu, and Milkground—have terminated their cooperation with Mbappé, citing a "zero tolerance" policy for actions or words that "offend national feelings." These companies had previously used Mbappé's image and name in their advertising campaigns.

Video authenticity remains unclear

The authenticity of the video in question was initially uncertain, as AFP's digital verification services could not confirm it. However, the video appears to reference a meme that superimposes Mbappé's face onto an image of Mao Zedong, the former Chinese leader. It is unclear if Mbappé was directly involved in creating these collages.

Chinese government comments on the issue

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commented on the situation, stating it is natural for all Chinese people to "commonly reject" statements that offend them. The ministry did not provide further details but emphasized the importance of respecting national sentiments.