Mbappe brand deals with Chinese drinks company Dongpeng and dairy producer Mengniu ended on October 27, 2026, after a video circulated online in which the French footballer apparently joked about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

Key Takeaways

  • Both companies said their cooperation with Kylian Mbappe was ending immediately.
  • The authenticity of the video could not immediately be verified.

Why the Mbappe brand deals ended

Dongpeng said it had a zero-tolerance policy toward behavior that offends national sentiments. Mengniu similarly said it opposed words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.

In the video, Mbappe appears to describe an internet meme showing his face superimposed on that of someone he thought was a Chinese dictator. The remark appeared to refer to an image of Mao, China’s founding leader, who died in 1976. Jokes about Mao remain a social taboo in China.

Reaction to the video

Dongpeng’s decision became the top-trending topic on Chinese social media platform Weibo. Some users urged the company to remove Mbappe’s image from its energy drink bottles.

In a September interview, the Real Madrid and France forward had discussed memes depicting him as historical figures. He said some were made in good fun, but that comparisons with people who had caused suffering were less funny.

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