Kylian Mbappe has apologised to the Chinese people after remarks about a satirical image of the Chinese leader led China Central Television (CCTV) to stop showing La Liga matches and games involving the Real Madrid forward.
The France international issued a formal statement addressing the controversy, saying his comments during a recent interview had caused offence in China and among Chinese communities around the world.
“During a recent interview, I commented on an image of myself, but my comment was inappropriate,” Mbappe said.
“I now understand that it hurt the feelings of many people in China and Chinese communities around the world.
“I apologise to everyone who was upset by my words. That was never my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I express my sincere regret.”
CCTV, China’s state television broadcaster, had suspended its broadcasts of Spanish league football as well as any matches featuring Mbappe as a result of his comments.
The dispute has also prompted an apology from Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, who addressed the Chinese people on behalf of the organisation.
Tebas said he regretted the upset and offence caused by the player’s remarks and confirmed that La Liga was working with its partners in China to resolve the situation.
“We recognise the damage this issue has caused, and I would like, on behalf of La Liga, to offer our sincere apologies to the Chinese people,” Tebas wrote in a message published through his account on X.
He also underlined the potential consequences for Spanish football, saying the incident should not damage the wider relationship between La Liga and China.
“We cannot allow an individual action to tarnish this relationship or harm more than 20 clubs competing in our professional competitions, as well as millions of Chinese fans,” Tebas added.
The statements from Mbappe and Tebas follow the decision by CCTV to remove Spanish league coverage and matches involving the Real Madrid player from its programming. The broadcaster’s action came after the remarks about the satirical image were widely criticised.
Mbappe’s statement focused on acknowledging the reaction to his words, while Tebas’s apology addressed the effect of the controversy on the relationship between Spanish football and its Chinese audience.