LaLiga apologizes to China after Mbappe's Mao remarks

In an interview with The Bridge, Mbappe spoke about internet jokes that used his face as a Chinese dictator, and said he laughed the most at the one referring to Mao, the founding leader of the People's Republic of China.

The remarks drew a strong reaction in China. State broadcaster CCTV, LaLiga and Mbappe's matches were taken off the air. Some Chinese companies also terminated their advertising deals with the French player. Because the Chinese market is seen as important for the international growth of Spanish football, LaLiga also came under pressure in this situation.

LaLiga President Javier Tebas said in a statement that Mbappe's words were his personal opinion and did not reflect the position of the league or its clubs. He nevertheless expressed deep regret for the discomfort felt by Chinese fans. Tebas stressed that LaLiga has a long-standing relationship with Chinese institutions, broadcasters and millions of fans.

Tebas also warned that the incident could affect all 20 clubs in the league. He said the words of a single player should not be allowed to damage the league's broad relationship with Chinese viewers. Mbappe later apologized, acknowledging that his remarks caused offense well beyond what he intended.