Mbappé triggers crisis in the Chinese market after remark about Mao
Kylian Mbappé's comment calling Mao a "Chinese dictator" triggered a crisis in China, with advertising contracts terminated and Spanish league broadcasts suspended. The Real Madrid forward finished second in the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
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Kylian Mbappé, atacante do Real Madrid e segundo colocado na Bola de Ouro de 2026, virou um problema de imagem para si e para La Liga na China. Um comentário em entrevista — no qual se refere a Mao como “ditador chinês” — teve repercussão negativa ampla no país, com contratos publicitários encerrados e a transmissão do Campeonato Espanhol suspensa na China.
A fala ocorreu em uma entrevista ao talk show francês “The Bridge”, do canal ESN Media, no YouTube. Perguntado sobre as montagens feitas com seu rosto nas redes sociais e sobre qual o tinha divertido mais, o atacante respondeu citando um vídeo em que, segundo ele, aparece “um cara, acho que é um ditador chinês…”. Na sequência, uma montagem do rosto de Mbappé em um cartaz de Mao Tsé-Tung aparece na tela e ele ri.
A referência é a Mao Tsé-Tung (1893-1976), líder da Revolução Chinesa e presidente do país entre 1954 e 1959. Nas redes sociais, Mbappé é frequentemente apelidado de “Ditador Mbappé” por causa de comportamentos em campo e atitudes com companheiros de equipe.
O trecho circulou nas redes chinesas e provocou rejeição ampla, levando às consequências comerciais e à suspensão da transmissão do campeonato espanhol no país.
Sobre as montagens com o rosto dele que mais o divertiram, Mbappé foi direto: “o que mais me faz rir é aquele em que aparece um vídeo de um cara, acho que é um ditador chinês…”.
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