Mbappe apologises publicly after controversy over Mao-linked comment

French footballer Kylian Mbappe has publicly apologised after a comment linked to China's founding leader Mao Zedong triggered controversy.

In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, the 27-year-old acknowledged that his remark had hurt the feelings of China and Chinese communities around the world. He said his words had been misunderstood and that he holds deep respect for the Chinese people and their history.

Asked in an interview about an internet meme he liked, Mbappe had referred to a video in which his face was superimposed onto the body of a "Chinese dictator." The video had placed his face over an image of Mao.

Following the backlash, beverage company Dongpeng, also known as Eastroc, and dairy company Mengniu announced they were ending their business partnerships with him. Cheese maker Milkground also terminated its agreement.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said it had pulled advertisements featuring him and stopped broadcasting matches he plays in. His accounts on Chinese social media platforms Weibo and Xiaohongshu, which had about a million followers each, were suspended for violating platform rules.

Swiss footwear company On Holding also removed posts about Mbappe from its Chinese social media accounts.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said remarks that hurt public sentiment would face widespread opposition from society.