Kylian Mbappe meme creator says China row is ‘complete madness’

Younes Khalifi, the creator of a satirical video that placed Kylian Mbappe’s face on images of Mao Zedong, says he never imagined the joke would develop into a diplomatic crisis.

The deepfake video was posted on Khalifi’s X account in August 2023, during a period when uncertainty over Mbappe’s future at Paris Saint-Germain dominated football discussion. It attracted little attention in China at the time but resurfaced on Tuesday, 27 October, after Mbappe mentioned it on The Bridge podcast.

The France captain said the clip was the meme that had made him laugh the most.

“The meme I laughed at the most was when they put a man – I think he was a Chinese dictator – and put my head on him,” Mbappe said.

His use of the word “dictator” prompted widespread anger in China. The controversy then extended beyond football, with Chinese companies ending partnerships with the player. Chinese authorities described the incident as an act that “hurts the feelings of the Chinese people”.

‘Complete madness’

Speaking to French newspaper Le Parisien, Khalifi said he was surprised by the consequences after hearing Mbappe discuss the video.

“I saw the video on Monday evening and I was delighted when Mbappe said it was his favourite meme. That made me happy,” he said.

“But I never expected it to go beyond that and lead to a diplomatic crisis. It is complete madness.”

Khalifi, who works as a developer, said the idea emerged from his interest in Mbappe’s situation and in emerging technology.

“I was following football to some extent, and I was working as a developer. I was interested in deepfake technology and artificial intelligence for making funny videos,” he said.

“So two ideas came together in my mind and I made the video.”

He insisted the clip was not intended to offend Chinese people or anyone else.

“I did not want to hurt the feelings of any people. I was simply making funny videos, and when the idea came to me, I carried it out,” Khalifi said.

The creator also expressed sympathy for Mbappe, who has faced commercial consequences as a result of the controversy.

“I feel sorry for Mbappe,” he said. “It is sad that he has to deal with all of this because of an unintended slip and lose sponsors and potential supporters. He is bearing far more than the seriousness of the matter warrants.”

Khalifi later addressed the issue on X, writing: “I woke up to find that I had caused a diplomatic crisis. If you sue me, Mbappe, I will be financially ruined. Sorry, I have nothing you can get from me.”

He also posted a message to the Chinese followers who began following him after the controversy. Khalifi said he regarded Mao Zedong as one of the most influential figures in world history, admired China’s history and culture, and hoped to visit the country one day.

He ended the message by writing: “Long live Chinese-French friendship!”