Chinese brands end Mbappé partnerships after Mao joke controversy

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Chinese brands end Mbappé partnerships

Highlights

Dongpeng and Mengniu terminated sponsorships with Mbappé on Tuesday following his joke about Mao, citing zero tolerance for actions hurting national feelings.
Shares of On fell more than 4% in early Tuesday trading after the controversy, threatening Mbappé's broad global sponsorship portfolio including deals with EA Sports, Hublot, and Oakley.
Chinese state TV suspended La Liga broadcasts after the incident, prompting La Liga to affirm respect for China and commit to resolving the issue with local partners.

Sponsorship fallout and official responses

As reported by Business Insider, citing statements from Dongpeng and Mengniu, the two Chinese consumer brands are cutting ties with Mbappé after a clip circulated online showing him joking about a meme that linked him to Mao. Dongpeng said on Tuesday that it had zero tolerance for actions that hurt national feelings and was ending all cooperation with the player immediately, while Mengniu issued a similar statement.

The controversy stems from an interview on the French podcast "The Bridge," where Mbappé said the meme that made him laugh most showed his face superimposed on "some guy, I think he's a Chinese dictator," before the video cut to an image of Mao. In China, Mao remains a politically sensitive figure and jokes about him are widely seen as disrespectful.

Mbappé apologized on Tuesday morning in a statement posted in English, French, and Mandarin. He called the remark ill-judged, said he now understands it hurt many people in China and Chinese communities around the world, and added that he has deep respect for the Chinese people and their history.

Wider commercial and sports market impact

Mbappé is one of football's most marketable athletes, and the dispute threatens a sponsorship portfolio that stretches well beyond China. The Real Madrid forward and France captain recently became the face of Swiss shoemaker On's expanding football business after leaving a long-term ambassador role with Nike, and On shares were down more than 4% in early trading on Tuesday.

He also fronts EA Sports' FC video game series and has endorsement deals with Hublot and Oakley. The episode therefore raises broader risks for global brands tied to athletes whose personal image drives commercial value across multiple markets.

EFE Noticias also reported that Chinese state TV has suspended broadcasts of La Liga, the Spanish top division in which Mbappé plays. La Liga said in a Tuesday post on X that it conveys respect to China, its institutions and its people, and that it is working with partners in China to address the situation.

China’s latest round of policy support to stabilize growth has kept the outlook for third-quarter GDP only slightly firmer, with forecasts still hovering near the low end of Beijing’s full-year target. Our earlier coverage highlighted that while exports and factory output have helped cushion the slowdown, weak consumption, property-sector stress, and limited-scale stimulus continue to weigh on confidence and domestic demand.

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