Apparently, U.S. President Donald Trump is not the only leader to have come under pressure from China. French football star Kylian Mbappé, who currently plays for Real Madrid, is the latest prominent figure to run afoul of Beijing.
Recently, the 27-year-old Mbappé commented on his “dictator” nickname, which had been featured in a meme alongside an image of Mao Zedong, the former Chinese leader. His remarks were apparently not well received in China, where the country’s political leadership is highly sensitive to criticism. As a result, Chinese sponsors, including Dongpeng Beverage and Mengniu, along with a state-backed broadcaster, reportedly cut ties with Mbappé, resulting in the loss of a media rights deal reportedly worth $100 million annually.
Mbappé subsequently issued an apology in English, French, and Chinese, explaining that his comments had “hurt many people in China.” According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, China has accepted Mbappé’s apology.
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