Memes, Mao and Mbappé: Chinese brands drop soccer star in fury over ‘dictator’ joke

Europe Sports Thu, 29 Oct 2026 11:38:49 GMT Moderate confidence — 74/100

27, 2026, 8:42 AM EDTHONG KONG — He’s one of the world’s most popular athletes, but Kylian Mbappé is suddenly paying the penalty for being on the wrong side of China’s fervent nationalism.

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27, 2026, 8:42 AM EDTHONG KONG — He’s one of the world’s most popular athletes, but Kylian Mbappé is suddenly paying the penalty for being on the wrong side of China’s fervent nationalism.

Sources: NBC News