China has taken a firm stance by banning the broadcast of La Liga matches across the country following Kylian Mbappé’s controversial comment in which he referred to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a “dictator” while discussing memes.

The comment reportedly angered Chinese authorities and companies, which took issue with the description of their former leader, who played a pivotal role in the country’s history.

Following the backlash, Mbappé issued an official apology to the Chinese people, acknowledging his mistake and expressing regret for the offence caused.

Kane ends England's 25-year Ballon d'Or wait

Real Madrid and La Liga also apologised over the controversy and called for a swift resolution to the issue to preserve their relationship with China.

However, Chinese authorities reportedly maintain that an apology is insufficient to resolve the controversy surrounding Mbappé’s remark about Mao Zedong.

Officials from Spain are reportedly in contact with their Chinese counterparts to resolve the situation, as the dispute could affect La Liga’s commercial revenue and business partnerships in the country.

The controversy stems from a video on The Bridge, in which Mbappé joked about an edited image depicting him as Mao Zedong, referring to the former Chinese leader as a “Chinese dictator” without directly naming him.

“My favourite Mbappé meme? The one where they put my face on a Chinese dictator (Mao Zedong). That really makes me laugh; I use it with my friends all the time,” he said.

SB/JKB

“The Problem Is Kurt Okraku, Not the Coach” – Ghanaians React to Carlos Queiroz's Sacking