Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe has sparked major outrage in China with a comment he made about their former leader, prompting broadcasters and sponsors to take strong action against him.

The Frenchman scored more goals than anyone else in the World Cup, Champions League and La Liga during the 2025/26 season, but still missed out on the 2026 Ballon d'Or to Harry Kane on Monday night.

As a result, Mbappe remains among the greatest players never to have won football's most prestigious individual honour. Journalists suggest the voting between him and his Bayern Munich and England rival was incredibly close.

Bouncing back is in Mbappe's nature, and Real Madrid look much better equipped to fight for silverware again under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, which will only boost his chances in 12 months' time. However, fans in China may struggle to follow Mbappe's redemption tour after a recent interview has landed him in hot water.

According to the BBC, several Chinese sponsors have dropped Mbappe as backlash grew online over alleged comments by him referring to the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a 'dictator'.

The 27-year-old reportedly told French talk show 'The Bridge' a meme "that makes me laugh the most...the one where there's a video of a guy, I think it's a Chinese dictator". As he speaks, a meme appears with his face superimposed on an image resembling Mao. Watch the below:

"I use it with my friends all the time," the Real Madrid forward added, in clips that have been circulating online. He does not identify Mao by name and the original video is no longer on the show's YouTube channel, but screen grabs have quickly spread on social media.

Chinese state broadcaster, CCTV, is suspending La Liga matches, Chinese media outlet The Paper reported on Tuesday. According to state-owned newspaper The Global Times, CCTV's news apps no longer have content related to the French striker. The Chinese brands have not explicitly said why they were terminating the contract but referred to hurt sentiments.

Major Chinese Brands Issue Statements Condemning Mbappe

The country's largest dairy producer, Mengniu, said it "firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people".

Drinks giant Dongpeng, also issued a statement saying: "Our company firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments."

It is believed that Mbappe's comments reflect the fact he is nicknamed 'The Dictator' at Real Madrid, and perhaps that's where a slip of the tongue - coupled by the fact the Frenchman's knowledge of Chinese politics is limited - has caused so much backlash. At the time of writing, neither Mbappe or the French talk show have responded to criticism, either through an apology or explanation.