Mourinho backs Mbappe after China comments apology

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has publicly supported Kylian Mbappé following the forward's apology for controversial remarks about China's late leader Mao Zedong. Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Saturday ahead of Real Madrid's La Liga fixture against Racing Santander, Mourinho praised both the player and club for their swift and responsible responses, describing their actions as demonstrating "class."

The controversy arose when Mbappé, discussing nicknames during an appearance on French talk show The Bridge, referenced a meme that superimposed his face onto an image resembling Mao Zedong, who died in 1976. The 27-year-old described it as "a video of a guy, I think it's a Chinese dictator," which prompted significant backlash on social media in China and globally. Several Chinese brands subsequently ended partnerships with the player. On Tuesday, Mbappé issued a statement apologising for his "ill-judged" comments, stating: "I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world."

Mourinho reflected on the incident as emblematic of modern communication risks. "Those are the dangers of today's world where often the best thing you can do is keep your mouth shut, because there's danger in so many things you say or comment on," he said. However, he emphasised that both Real Madrid and Mbappé had "shown the class to react immediately," and that he felt well-represented by their responses. The manager stated that the club considered the matter adequately addressed and had no further role to play.

Mourinho also addressed broader concerns about artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes. "I don't worry," he said when asked if he was concerned about being misrepresented by fake video clips. "My club is Real Madrid, and my player is Kylian Mbappé. Both Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé have shown the class to react immediately, and I feel very well represented by both of them." The Portuguese manager stressed that the quick and responsible handling of the situation reflected well on both the player and institution.