The Spanish club expressed regret after comments by its French forward about a meme depicting Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a dictator sparked backlash and prompted Chinese companies to end sponsorship deals with the player.

Real Madrid have apologised to the Chinese people over controversial remarks made by their forward, Kylian Mbappé, about a meme referencing former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, following widespread criticism in China.

The Spanish club issued its apology on Wednesday, October 28, saying it regretted any offence caused by the player’s comments and reaffirming its respect for China, its history, culture and citizens.

“Real Madrid CF wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for any discomfort caused by the recent words of our player Kylian Mbappé,” the club said in a statement.

The controversy followed a video in which Mbappé discussed internet memes featuring his image. In the clip, the France captain described his favourite as an image of himself edited onto the body of a person he referred to as a Chinese dictator, apparently referring to Mao, who founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949 and led the country until his death in 1976.

Mbappé apologised on Tuesday, acknowledging that his comment had been ill-judged and had hurt people in China and Chinese communities around the world.

“I apologise to everyone my words have upset,” he said, adding that he had deep respect for the Chinese people and their history.

The remarks triggered commercial consequences for the 27-year-old footballer. Chinese companies Dongpeng Beverage, dairy producer Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground announced that they were ending their partnerships with him.

China Media Group also announced that it had suspended broadcasts of Spanish La Liga matches and other games involving Mbappé, while removing advertisements featuring the player. The China Football Association called for formal public apologies from both the footballer and Real Madrid.

La Liga, Spain’s top professional football league, also expressed regret over the offence caused to Chinese fans. Its president, Javier Tebas, said he had met China’s ambassador to Spain to discuss the controversy and seek a way forward.

The incident has highlighted the commercial risks international sports figures and organisations face in China, a major market for football broadcasting, sponsorships and consumer brands.

Real Madrid’s apology follows Mbappé’s own statement as the club and the league seek to address the backlash and maintain relationships with Chinese fans and commercial partners.