Soccer star Kylian Mbappé accidentally causes a shitstorm in China and puts an entire league under economic pressure. While everyone is looking at China, the incident shows above all how profit rules sport. – A comment by Fevzi Ayçiçek.

On Wednesday, Real Madrid star Kylian apologizedMbappepublicly in a pre-conference with the Chinese population. The controversy was sparked by an apparent...harmless questionin a podcast: What's the funniest meme of himself he's ever seen? His answer: A picture in which his face was photoshopped onto that of the Chinese founder Mao Zedong. Mbappé ignorantly said "I think he is a Chinese dictator", for which he now apologizes - his statement said it was "ill-considered".

The statement caused a considerable shitstorm in China. The consequences followed quickly: several Chinese companies ended their advertising partnerships with the French soccer star. These include the beverage manufacturer Dongpeng and the dairy companies Mengniu and Milkground. His accounts on Chinese social media platforms were also frozen.

But that was far from the end of the matter. His club Real Madrid was also forced to issue an official apology to China. The club wants to “apologize to the Chinese people for the upset that the recent comments of our player Kylian Mbappé may have caused.” Real then wrote: "Our club has deep respect for China, its history, its culture and its people - as well as for the millions of Chinese fans who show love and admiration for Real Madrid."

The apology didn't come from anywhere; after all, the broadcast of the Spanish league in Chinese state media was temporarily suspended. Given this economic pressure, La Liga President Javier Tebas was even forced to call a meeting with the Chinese ambassador to Spain to smooth things over. Even a week after the incident, there is still uncertainty about when and whether Spanish football will be shown on TV again in China. This meant that it was no longer just a single football star, but an entire league that came into conflict.

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China's influence in European football is increasing

The fact that a footballer loses advertising partners because of a meme is initially a personal matter. But the fact that a top international club and an entire league justify themselves to a foreign government shows the true dimension of the situation. European football has long been a global business - and as a business they are just as dependent on the global economy as other companies. The big clubs no longer only earn money from tickets, television rights and European sponsors.

International markets have become a crucial part of their business model. China plays an important role in this and not just recently: a third of the sponsors for theEuropean Championship 2020came from China, for example. Companies such as Hisense, Alipay, Vivo and TikTok were among the backers. At the 2024 European Championships, five of the 13 global main sponsors were Chinese companies: BYD, Alipay+, AliExpress, Hisense and Vivo. Companies use football specifically to make their brands better known internationally and to open up new sales markets.

Even in 2026, European football will remain closely intertwined with Chinese companies. One example is the online trading groupJD.com,which was unveiled as a new partner of the UEFA Champions League in February 2025. The partnership runs until 2027 and includes, among other things, the expansion of online trading with official Champions League products in China.

The presence of Chinese companies is no longer limited to individual advertising hoardings. They are involved in the most important European football competitions and become an integral part of their financing and marketing.

The Mbappé case now makes this development concretely visible. The economic consequences of a single statement are apparently enough to trigger the reaction of an entire league. This is by no means the only industry that is affected, nor is it the first scandal related to China.

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A familiar pattern: Anyone who angers China risks their business

The Mbappé case is by no means an isolated case. Celebrities and companies repeatedly come into conflict with the political sensitivities of the Chinese leadership. It becomes clear again and again how closely the public sphere of celebrities and companies is intertwined with economic interests. When statements endanger access to an important market, it's not just individuals who come under pressure. Companies often have to decide whether to defend their public stance or limit potential losses.

2019Daryl Morey, then general manager of the US basketball team Houston Rockets, triggered a crisis between the NBA and China. He had publicly expressed solidarity with the democracy movement in Hong Kong. Chinese broadcasters and sponsors withdrew and the NBA suffered significant economic losses.

In theFashion industryIn the same year, Versace, Coach and Givenchy came under pressure because their T-shirts listed Hong Kong and Taiwan as independent countries. Coach said he was fully aware of the “seriousness” of the mistake and deeply regretted it. Versace emphasized that he “loves China” and corrected the image.

Also the actor and wrestlerJohn Cenapublicly apologized in 2021 after referring to Taiwan as a separate country in an interview. He published his video for his Chinese fans on his Chinese Weibo account: "I made a mistake, I have to say now. It's so so so so important, I love and respect Chinese people," Cena said to his 600,000 fans - and in Mandarin.

The recurring pattern is clear: a statement or representation is met with political opposition, public pressure follows, and companies apologize or adapt their communication. Behind this is not simply a conflict between “the West” and China, but the power of economic interests: those who are dependent on a market have less scope to resist the pressure.

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When profit dictates freedom

The Mbappé case shows how much economic power shapes political and social debates. A meme became an international conflict - not because it raises the central question of our time, but because clubs, leagues and companies align their decisions with the interests of large markets and investors.

This is not a plea for expanding Europe's business or declaring China an enemy. Rather, it points to a fundamental problem: in an economy focused on private profits and global capital flows, a few powerful companies and markets can determine what can be said and done publicly. The costs of this dependency are borne not only by owners and officials, but also by employees, fans and the public.

Football also shows how common goods and cultural institutions are increasingly subject to the logic of the market. As long as clubs and associations primarily have to secure income, their freedom remains limited - regardless of whether the pressure comes from China, Europe or elsewhere.

The postMbappé, Mao, market pressures: Dependence on China and the power of profitappeared firstperspective.