Kylian Mbappé’s China crisis shows how sensitive Mao’s legacy remains

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé faced backlash in China after a video surfaced of him making light of a meme involving former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. The incident, which occurred around the same week he missed out on a Ballon d'Or win, resulted in brands dropping him and Chinese media largely avoiding detailed coverage of his comments. Mbappé became the latest foreign figure accused of 'hurting the feelings of the Chinese people,' a designation that has affected numerous international brands and celebrities.