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Kylian Mbappé dropped by Chinese brands for ‘offending national sentiments’

The Guardian UK Tuesday 27 October 2026, 06:24 UTC By AFP 1 min read
Key Points

Video appears to show football star refer to Mao Zedong as a ‘dictator’Dongpeng Beverage and Mengniu end deals with France captainKylian Mbappé was dropped Tuesday by two major brands in China after a video circulated online in which the French football superstar apparently joked about former leader Mao Zedong. In China jokes about Mao, the country’s founding leader who died in 1976, are considered disrespectful and remain a social taboo.

  • Video appears to show football star refer to Mao Zedong as a ‘dictator’

  • Dongpeng Beverage and Mengniu end deals with France captain

Kylian Mbappé was dropped Tuesday by two major brands in China after a video circulated online in which the French football superstar apparently joked about former leader Mao Zedong.

In China jokes about Mao, the country’s founding leader who died in 1976, are considered disrespectful and remain a social taboo.

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Kylian Mbappé (PERSON) Chinese (ORG) Mao Zedong (PERSON) a ‘dictator’Dongpeng Beverage and Mengniu (EVENT) France (LOCATION) Mbappé (PERSON) China (LOCATION) French (ORG) Mao (PERSON)
Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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