France 24 reported backlash in China over a joke by Real Madrid striker and France captain Kylian Mbappé about a Mao Zedong meme, while analyst Igor Mladenovic stressed cultural context.
Mladenovic discussed the episode in an interview hosted by François Picard. Based in Luxembourg, he is a French-Serbian sports writer and business analyst who previously worked as a football commentator. He said he did not believe Mbappé meant to ridicule Mao and argued that political and cultural context shaped how the reference was understood.
Mladenovic contrasted Mbappé’s joking anecdote with former NBA executive Daryl Morey’s public comments about Hong Kong. His comparison focused on the difference between a joke and remarks made as political expression, rather than treating the episodes as equivalent.
The interview also raised a broader question about the reach of athletes’ public speech. Mladenovic asked how a player’s personal views may affect clubs, leagues or countries when audiences interpret remarks through different political and cultural contexts. He said Mbappé was not taking a position on Mao or China.
