November 1, 2026
Portuguese Jose Mourinho, coach of the Spanish club Real Madrid, praised the wisdom of the quick handling of his French striker Kylian Mbappe and the club’s management with the commercial crisis that broke out in the Chinese market, following statements made by the player describing the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a “dictator.”
The French national team captain’s statements sparked angry reactions in China, prompting the player and the club to issue immediate official apologies. In the same context, the Spanish League intervened by forming a crisis cell led by Javier Tebas, who held a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing on Wednesday to contain the repercussions.
In statements reported by Reuters before facing Racing Santander, Mourinho commented: “These are the dangers of today’s world, where the best thing you can do in many cases is not to open your mouth, because there is danger in many things you say or comment on.” He added: “I saw him act very responsibly with a club that has great sophistication in this regard. For us, the matter is over, and we have nothing to add. Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappe had the sophistication that made them act immediately, and I feel, as a coach, that they represent me very well.”
On the commercial level, Mbappe suffered huge financial losses after major Chinese companies, such as “Mengniu”, “Shanghai Milkground FoodTech” for dairy products, and “Eastrock” for drinks, quickly cut their ties with him. The official China Daily newspaper noted that the statements threatened the player’s commercial interests and constituted a stark reminder of the limits of celebrity influence, while the state-run MiGo platform decided to cancel the broadcast of the upcoming Real Madrid match.
Real Madrid, which occupies third place in the Spanish League table, six points behind leaders Barcelona, is preparing to face its host Racing Santander on Sunday, in a match that was decided not to be broadcast to Chinese fans.
