US congressman defends Kylian Mbappe after China backlash over Mao comments

Kylian Mbappe has received unexpected support from the United States after comments about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong triggered a political controversy in China.

The Real Madrid forward described Mao as a dictator in a video, prompting strong reactions in China and drawing the France captain into a dispute extending well beyond football.

John Moolenaar, chairman of the US House of Representatives’ China committee, said Mbappe had no reason to apologise for his remarks.

The intervention has added a new dimension to tensions between Washington and Beijing, according to French outlet Foot Mercato.

Since the video was published, several Chinese brands have ended their partnerships with Mbappe. The Chinese Football Association has also protested, while a Chinese media group called for a public apology from Real Madrid and held the club responsible for the player’s comments.

Real Madrid, La Liga president Javier Tebas and Mbappe have each released statements apologising to China in an attempt to resolve the dispute, which has developed over the past two days.

Moolenaar took the opposite view, criticising what he described as a willingness to submit to the Chinese system.

In a statement issued by the Select Committee on China, the Republican representative for Michigan defended Mbappe and said the player should not apologise.

“Global football star Kylian Mbappe should not apologise for calling Mao Zedong a dictator,” Moolenaar said. “Mao was a dictator, and he inflicted harm on the Chinese people far beyond anything a football player could say.”

He added: “His dictatorship and disastrous policies killed tens of millions of Chinese people during the Cultural Revolution, the Great Famine and other atrocities.”

Moolenaar also criticised the companies that distanced themselves from Mbappe in order to protect their commercial interests in China.

“The real shame in this story is the companies that rush to apologise so they can continue doing business in China,” he said.

The remarks have left Mbappe at the centre of a dispute involving Real Madrid, Chinese commercial partners and football authorities, while the response from Moolenaar has turned the episode into a broader political issue.