Kylian Mbappe dropped by Chinese brands over Mao joke

Kylian Mbappe was dropped by two major Chinese brands, Dongpeng and Mengniu, on October 27 after a video circulated online where he appeared to joke about Mao Zedong, China's founding leader. Dongpeng, a drinks giant, stated it opposes any behavior that offends national sentiments and terminated all cooperation with Mbappe immediately.

Mengniu, China's largest dairy producer, also cut ties with the 27-year-old France captain, emphasizing a similar zero-tolerance policy towards actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people. The controversy arose after Mbappe referred to a meme of his face superimposed on Mao's image, which is considered disrespectful in China.

Following the incident, Dongpeng's decision to end cooperation with Mbappe trended on Chinese social media. Previously, Mbappe had addressed another meme depicting him as a military dictator, acknowledging the humor but also the serious implications of such comparisons.