Chinese Brands Drop Mbappé Over Mao Meme

Two Chinese giants ripped up Mbappé's deals overnight after a meme placed his face on Mao's portrait. The brands, beverage maker Dongpeng and dairy leader Mengniu, said they have zero-tolerance for anything that offends national sentiment. Both issued statements on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, terminating all cooperation with the Real Madrid forward immediately. Chinese social media erupted, with Weibo users calling the remarks a "serious wrong" that crossed the red line. China's foreign ministry said the comments hurt Chinese people's feelings. State broadcaster CCTV then paused La Liga coverage, local reports say. The incident came a day after Mbappé lost the Ballon d'Or to Harry Kane, adding fuel to the backlash. Mbappé and the French show The Bridge have not responded, and the original clip has been removed from YouTube. As one commentator put it, "national sentiment must never be taken lightly."