La Liga president Javier Tebas met with China's Ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing, to address the fallout from Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappé's alleged dictator comment comparing him to Mao Zedong. The remarks sparked controversy in China, leading state broadcaster CCTV to suspend evening broadcasts of La Liga matches and any games involving Mbappé. "Today I held a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Spain to discuss the situation arising from Kylian Mbappé's comments and to seek solutions to move past this incident," Tebas wrote on X. La Liga has partnership deals with Chinese organisations, including a strategic agreement with the Chinese Professional Football League through 2029 and agreements with China Media Group.
Tebas emphasized that China remains a strategic partner and hopes the incident does not undermine progress. At least three Chinese brands have cut ties with Mbappé since the comment. The player issued an apology, calling his remark "ill-judged," and Real Madrid also apologised, expressing deep respect for China and its citizens.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing