Football Star Kylian Mbappé Loses Chinese Brand Deals Over Meme of Himself (3 Photos + 2 Videos)
Category: Stars, Famous people, PEGI 0+
Yesterday, 23:14
Football superstar Kylian Mbappé recently named a meme featuring his face superimposed on a "Chinese dictator" as his favorite. That dictator turned out to be Mao Zedong. The interview clip quickly went viral, prompting Chinese brands to begin severing ties with the athlete. 
French football star Kylian Mbappé has found himself embroiled in a controversy in China after admitting that he especially loves a meme showing his face on a "Chinese dictator."
Following an outcry, three major Chinese companies—beverage manufacturer Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu, and cheese brand Milkground—promptly announced they were terminating their partnerships with the forward.
Chinese television broadcasters have also suspended coverage of La Liga, the league where Mbappé plays.
The fallout quickly moved beyond commercial endorsements: discussions surrounding Mbappé's terminated contracts surged to the top of trending topics on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, with users actively calling for a boycott of the footballer.
