Chinese brands drop Kylian Mbappé over alleged joke about Mao meme
Major Chinese brands have dropped soccer star Kylian Mbappé after a backlash over a joke he allegedly made about a meme linking him to Mao.
Major Chinese brands have dropped Kylian Mbappé after a backlash over a remark he allegedly made, BBC News and NBC News report.
BBC News says Mbappé allegedly called his "favourite meme" the one that edits his face onto a Chinese dictator. Its headline ties the joke to Mao.
NBC News describes the reaction as fury and says the soccer star is paying a price in China, where nationalist sentiment runs strong. It calls him one of the world's most popular athletes.
The reports do not name the brands or say when the remark was made.
Reported by
- BBC NewsMajor Chinese brands drop Mbappé as backlash grows over Mao jokeTue, Oct 27, 3:15 AM EDT
- NBC NewsMemes, Mao and Mbappé: Chinese brands drop soccer star in fury over ‘dictator’ jokeTue, Oct 27, 7:54 AM EDT
This story was written by AI using only the reports listed above, and published without a person reviewing it first. It is rewritten as new reports arrive. Read the original reporting for full detail. Spot an error? Tell us.