China FA lodges protest with Real Madrid over Mbappe remarks

Why it matters: Football stars and European leagues depend heavily on Chinese audiences and sponsors, so remarks seen as insulting to China can quickly trigger broadcast bans and cancelled endorsements. The episode shows how fast commercial ties can be pulled into disputes over athletes' personal statements.

The Chinese Football Association said it had formally protested to Real Madrid after the club's player Kylian Mbappe made comments about China in an interview with an overseas outlet, and demanded public, formal apologies from both the player and the club.

The association said it firmly opposes any remarks that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people, and that internationally known athletes in particular should speak carefully and value their public influence. It said it would use international football platforms to promote mutual respect in exchanges between countries.

On 27 October, Mbappe issued a statement saying his remarks had been inappropriate and that he understood they had hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. "I apologise to everyone hurt by my words," the statement said, adding that he has deep respect for the Chinese people and their history.

La Liga also issued an apology to Chinese fans, saying the comments were the player's personal expression and did not represent the league's position. The league said it was working with Chinese partners and would set up cultural awareness and communication rules with clubs and players.

Real Madrid told Spanish outlet OK Diario, cited by Dongqiudi, that the episode was an individual act by the player and that its partnerships with Chinese sponsors were unchanged, with existing agreements still in place. La Liga president Javier Tebas also apologised publicly, warning that individual behaviour can affect an entire league.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV halted broadcasts of La Liga matches and Mbappe-related content from the night of 26 October, and advertisements featuring the player were taken down, according to The Paper. Mbappe's accounts on Xiaohongshu and Weibo were muted and barred from new followers, and Chinese brands Mengniu, Dongpeng Beverage and Milkground said they had ended their cooperation with the player.