Dongpeng, Mengniu, and Milkground End Mbappé Deals Over Dictator Remark

Chinese beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy producer Mengniu, and cheese maker Milkground announced Tuesday they are ending agreements with French national team captain Kylian Mbappé. The companies released similarly worded statements saying they oppose "any words and actions that hurt national sentiment." None of the three specified what prompted the decision.

The announcements followed the circulation of a clip on X that appeared to show Mbappé speaking before an interview with the French online talk show "The Bridge." In the clip, he is asked about his favorite meme of himself. He answers, "a video someone made of a guy .. I think he was a Chinese dictator," and the video then shows an altered image placing Mbappé's face on the blue-suited body of Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China.

Mbappé's face has appeared in advertising across China, from subway stations to elevators, in campaigns for products including electrolyte drinks, milk, and cheese. In one Dongpeng commercial he delivers a slogan in Chinese. In a Mengniu advertisement he appears alongside Argentine player Lionel Messi. RedNote, a social media platform, said separately that a content partnership with Mbappé ended on Dec. 31, 2024, and that it would "remove related promotional materials." The company also stated opposition to "any conduct that hurts national sentiment." RedNote's Mbappé account was not accepting new followers Tuesday.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun addressed the controversy in response to a question. "Words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with joint opposition from all sectors of Chinese society," Guo said. On Weibo, the hashtags "Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappé" and "Several brands end partnerships with Mbappé" topped the trending list. "Football fans boycott Mbappé" also trended, with some users criticizing his remarks or telling him not to come to China.

The Associated Press was unable to reach Mbappé's representatives for comment. Soccer fans online have circulated memes depicting Mbappé as Mao or other autocratic leaders. Associated Press video producer Olivia Zhang contributed to this report from Beijing.