Real Madrid apologises to China over Mbappe remarks about Mao Zedong

Real Madrid has apologised to the Chinese people over Kylian Mbappe’s remarks about Mao Zedong. The apology followed backlash in China, with the incident drawing attention beyond football because it involved a prominent international club and a politically sensitive historical figure.

The South China Morning Post reported that the club apologised for any discomfort caused by Mbappe’s remarks in a statement published on Real Madrid’s website. The same report said Mbappe had issued his own public apology one day earlier, although the supplied material does not give the exact wording or date of that statement.

The response was also acknowledged by Beijing. The Hindu reported that Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the apology was taken seriously, providing an official reaction to the club’s statement.

Al Jazeera described mocking Mao Zedong as taboo in China and characterised the country as a lucrative market for football players and teams such as Real Madrid. That context helps explain why remarks by a globally known player could create wider reputational and commercial sensitivity for the club, though the supplied reports do not establish any further consequences.

The available reporting confirms the apology and the sequence of public responses, but it does not provide the full wording or context of Mbappe’s original remarks. It also does not establish the precise date or time when Real Madrid issued its apology beyond the reporting published on October 28, 2026.