French football star Kylian Mbappé has lost sponsorship agreements with two major Chinese companies after a video circulated online appearing to show him referring to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a dictator.
The controversy has prompted criticism across Chinese social media, with both companies accusing the Real Madrid forward of offending national sentiments.
Chinese beverage company Dongpeng and dairy producer Mengniu announced the immediate termination of their partnerships with the 27-year-old France captain.
Dongpeng confirmed its decision on Tuesday, citing its opposition to conduct that offends national sentiments.
Mengniu similarly condemned statements or actions it considered hurtful to the Chinese public.
Both companies had maintained commercial relationships with Mbappé, whose popularity in China had attracted millions of social media followers.
Dongpeng had prominently featured AI-generated images of the footballer promoting its sports drinks during this year's FIFA World Cup.
The announcements followed the circulation of a video apparently showing Mbappé discussing an internet meme depicting his face superimposed onto a historical figure he described as a Chinese dictator.
The reference appeared to concern Mao, the founding leader of the People's Republic of China, who died in 1976.
The video's authenticity could not immediately be independently verified by AFP Fact Check.
The controversy quickly gained attention on Weibo, where Dongpeng's decision to end its partnership with Mbappé became the platform's leading trending topic.
Some users demanded the removal of his image from beverage packaging, while others criticised his apparent remarks as unacceptable.
Chinese football platform Dongqiudi also condemned the comments on Monday evening, saying they had offended Chinese supporters.
Mbappé had previously discussed memes associating him with historical dictators during a September interview with French newspaper L'Equipe, distinguishing humour from the suffering caused by such figures.
The sponsorship dispute follows earlier controversies involving international sports personalities whose comments on politically sensitive subjects prompted criticism in China.
Despite his established popularity among Chinese football supporters, Mbappé now faces commercial consequences as the controversy continues to attract attention.