The day after the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony, the team behind The Bridge issued an apology following the broadcast of a segment in which Kylian Mbappé referred to Mao Zedong.
The day after the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony, Kylian Mbappé, ranked second behind Harry Kane, finds himself at the center of a heated controversy in China. His remarks made on The Bridge, hosted by Aurélien Tchouameni, sparked a strong reaction in the country after the passage in question circulated widely.
In the exchange, the Real Madrid forward described Mao Zedong as a "Chinese dictator." The wording was deemed unacceptable by a segment of the Chinese public, which quickly voiced its outrage on social media and in outlets that relayed the affair. The topic has thus moved beyond the sporting sphere to become a broader debate about the memory and legacy of the Communist leader.
Faced with the uproar, the programme's management chose to respond publicly. On Tuesday, October 27, 2026, they apologized for airing the segment, implicitly acknowledging that the sequence should not have been broadcast as it was. The move aims to ease tensions and to mark a clear distance from the remarks.
It should be noted that this controversy comes at a time when sports and entertainment personalities are increasingly exposed to international reactions, particularly when their statements touch on sensitive political or historical subjects. A single word can travel well beyond its original audience.
At this stage, the available information is limited to the programme's response and the reaction in China. No further details have been given regarding possible follow-up, and the newsroom is confining itself to reporting the facts as communicated.
In the exchange, the Real Madrid forward described Mao Zedong as a "Chinese dictator." The wording was deemed unacceptable by a segment of the Chinese public, which quickly voiced its outrage on social media and in outlets that relayed the affair. The topic has thus moved beyond the sporting sphere to become a broader debate about the memory and legacy of the Communist leader.
Faced with the uproar, the programme's management chose to respond publicly. On Tuesday, October 27, 2026, they apologized for airing the segment, implicitly acknowledging that the sequence should not have been broadcast as it was. The move aims to ease tensions and to mark a clear distance from the remarks.
It should be noted that this controversy comes at a time when sports and entertainment personalities are increasingly exposed to international reactions, particularly when their statements touch on sensitive political or historical subjects. A single word can travel well beyond its original audience.
At this stage, the available information is limited to the programme's response and the reaction in China. No further details have been given regarding possible follow-up, and the newsroom is confining itself to reporting the facts as communicated.
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Source: Ouest-France