Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga have apologized for the French striker’s remarks about Mao Zedong, but experts warn that repairing their reputations in China could take considerable time.

The Real Madrid forward became embroiled in controversy after a video emerged this week showing him appearing to mock China’s former leader.

Mbappe said he had been amused by an internet meme that superimposed his face onto an image of Mao, describing the figure as "some guy, think he’s a Chinese dictator.”

Mao remains officially revered in China as the leader of the communist revolution and the founder of the People’s Republic of China. Although historians hold him responsible for policies that led to millions of deaths, public mockery of the former leader remains taboo.

The controversy has made Mbappe the latest international sports figure to provoke anger in China, where remarks perceived as disrespectful toward the country’s political leadership can carry significant reputational consequences.

Major Chinese brands have cut ties with the 27-year-old, and Spanish top-flight matches will be removed from state broadcaster CCTV.

Chinese state media and social media users have lambasted Mbappe, although many were left unaware of his exact remarks.

China has the world’s second-largest economy and offers significant commercial opportunities. Within two days, Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga had all issued apologies.

A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry said the Chinese government took Mbappe’s apology "seriously.”

‘Serious damage’

So, is that the end of the matter?

"Viewed from a calm, objective and emotion-free standpoint, this is clearly a very damaging incident,” veteran sports commentator Yan Qiang told AFP.

"It causes serious damage to the image of La Liga and Real Madrid in China.

"In the age of the mobile internet, things blow up on social media quickly and emotions run high.

"An apology does not necessarily mean the end of the story.

"It’s better to have an apology than no apology at all, but it’s definitely not the end of the story.”

The Mbappe controversy and its fallout are not unfamiliar territory for international sports.

Various overseas sports leagues and athletes have faced backlash over comments on politically sensitive issues involving China.

China effectively cut ties with the NBA in 2019 after Daryl Morey, then the Houston Rockets’ general manager, tweeted his support for Hong Kong protesters.

NBA executives said Morey had the right to freedom of expression. In contrast, La Liga immediately distanced itself from Mbappe’s remarks.

The NBA, which is among the most popular sports leagues in China alongside football, was absent from CCTV for more than a year.

NBA preseason games returned to China last year.

Debby Chan, a lecturer at Australian National University, described the NBA case and the Mbappe controversy as examples of China’s consumer nationalism, in which online sentiment and state media converge to create "a spiral of outrage.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league lost "hundreds of millions of dollars” during the dispute.

No way back?

Spanish football also has much to lose.

A source within La Liga told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that China and the United States alone account for the "majority” of international broadcasting rights revenue, valued at 748 million euros ($834 million) for the 2024-25 season.

According to Marca, a newspaper affiliated with Real Madrid, the club generates between 10% and 15% of its jersey and merchandise sales in China.

Real Madrid also counts Chinese companies among its major sponsors, including Hisense, sports betting firm Kaiyun Sports and Linglong Tire.

Adam Zhang, founder of Beijing-based Key-Solution Sports Consulting, said a swift and heartfelt apology was the first step toward repairing the damage.

"This will influence the decision on whether to continue the broadcast ban and, if so, for how long,” he told AFP.

Yan questioned whether Mbappe, whose face has appeared on drinks bottles and in advertising campaigns in China, could ever fully restore his reputation.

"Judging by commercial sponsorships and big ad campaigns he appeared in during the World Cup, he has a huge influence in China,” he said.

"If that influence can’t be sustained, there can be no talk of commercial interests, and La Liga and Real Madrid will definitely be badly affected.”

Yan said it was "genuinely hard to predict” what would happen next.

"In the short term, I’m certainly not optimistic,” he added.

"If they want to repair their image and the relationship, their future actions and behavior will be key.”