Soccer star Kylian Mbappé apologizes for remark about ‘Chinese dictator’

BEIJING — Soccer star Kylian Mbappé apologized for comments in which he apparently referred to Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China, as a dictator. “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” he said in a statement Tuesday. French soccer star Kylian Mbappé's face appears in ads across China, from subway stations to inside elevators, but now at least three companies are cutting ties with the national team captain after he made some comments apparently referring to Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China, as a dictator. Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground announced Tuesday in similarly worded statements that they were ending agreements with the soccer star, each saying they oppose “any words and actions that hurt national sentiment.” The companies did not specify what prompted their decisions, but they released their statements after a clip that appeared to show Mbappé being interviewed ahead of going on the French online talk show “The Bridge” circulated on X. In the video, Mbappé is asked about his favorite meme of himself, and the soccer star replies that it was “a video someone made of a...