Creator of Controversial Mbappé Meme Expresses Regret Over Political Fallout
The individual behind the meme featuring Mao Zedong and Kylian Mbappé has shared his sentiments with Le Parisien, stating he “feels sorry” for the French soccer star, whose remarks regarding the meme have sparked significant political controversy.
In an appearance on The Bridge, Mbappé referred to Mao Zedong, the former Chairman of China, as a “dictator.” This comment has resulted in major backlash in China, leading to the termination of sponsorship agreements with the playmaker. Energy drink company Dongpeng and dairy producer Meigniu both cited Mbappé’s “behavior offends national sentiment” in their decisions to end their contracts.
Reports indicate that both Real Madrid and La Liga may also encounter financial ramifications from this incident. Chinese media have pointed out that broadcasts of matches featuring Mbappé will be halted in the country, despite apologies issued by Mbappé, La Liga, and Real Madrid. A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry acknowledged that Mbappé’s apology is being “taken seriously.”
Younes Khelifi, who operates the X account Frenchaicovers, is the meme’s creator. In his discussion with Le Parisien, he reflected on the unexpected consequences of his work, stating, “I had seen the video on Monday evening and I was so happy that Mbappé said that it was his favorite [meme]. It made me happy, but I didn’t think that it would cross borders and create a diplomatic incident. It’s completely insane.”
Khelifi further elaborated on the context, “At the time, during the summer of 2023, Mbappé was the center of attention for renewing his contract at PSG. It was said that there was distrust towards him in the dressing room, and that he was holding the club hostage a bit. I watch a bit of football and I am a developer. I was interested in deepfakes and AI for making humorous videos, so these two things came together and I made this video.”
He also expressed empathy for Mbappé, noting, “I didn’t want to offend the whole public […] I feel sorry for Mbappé. The fact that he has to go through so much because of a blunder, that he loses sponsors and potential fans too, is sad. He is taking too much relative to the seriousness of the topic.”
