Mbappe Apology Fails to Restore La Liga Broadcasts in China

French national football team captain Kylian Mbappe's recent reference to Mao Zedong as a "dictator" has triggered a backlash in China, leading Chinese state broadcaster CCTV to suspend broadcasts of La Liga matches and several Chinese brands to cut ties with the player. Despite apologies from Mbappe, Real Madrid, and La Liga, CCTV Sports did not air the league's matches on October 31. Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said the club and Mbappe handled the situation appropriately, stating "there is nothing more for us to say." La Liga president Javier Tebas formed a crisis response team and met with China's ambassador to Spain on October 28. Chinese state streaming platform Migu will not broadcast Real Madrid's match against Racing Santander on November 1. Chinese brands including dairy company Mengniu, Shanghai Miaokelanduo Food Technology, and Dongpeng Beverages have fully suspended partnerships with Mbappe. The controversy stems from a now-removed French podcast where Mbappe joked about a meme featuring his face on a political leader's photo, calling the figure a "Chinese dictator."