Kylian Mbappe removed from Chinese Ballon d’Or ranking amid Mao meme controversy

Kylian Mbappe has been erased from a Chinese sports website’s record of the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with his second-place position replaced by the phrase “this person does not exist” amid a growing row over comments linked to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

The move follows China’s decision to stop broadcasting Spanish league matches and has escalated what began as a social media dispute into a wider sporting and diplomatic controversy, according to Spanish newspaper Sport.

Mbappe, who plays for Real Madrid, finished second in the official Ballon d’Or standings behind winner Harry Kane and ahead of third-placed Lamine Yamal.

However, the Chinese sports website Dongqiudi published a different version of the ranking on Tuesday. Kane remained listed in first place and Yamal in third, while the position between them was attributed to the Chinese phrase “cha wu ci ren”.

The expression translates literally as “there is no such person” or “this person does not exist”.

Dongqiudi, described as one of China’s largest and most prominent sports websites, also accompanied the ranking with a black-and-white image of Mbappe. The site said it would not translate the player’s comments, considering them offensive to Chinese supporters and the wider public.

By removing Mbappe’s name from the ranking, the website turned the results of football’s most prestigious individual award into a platform for expressing its position on the dispute.

Broadcast suspension adds to pressure

The development came days after CCTV, China’s state broadcaster, reportedly stopped showing La Liga matches altogether.

Local media reports linked the decision to the same controversy. The suspension is reported to have caused major commercial losses for La Liga and placed Mbappe’s marketing prospects in the Chinese market under increased pressure.

The dispute began with an interview Mbappe gave on The Bridge, a digital programme hosted by his Real Madrid team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni.

Asked about his favourite memes, Mbappe recalled an edited image in which his face had been placed over the face of a Chinese leader whom he described as a “dictator”. He said he found the image amusing and often shared it with friends.

Although Mbappe did not name Mao Zedong directly, Chinese fans immediately associated his comments with the meme showing the French forward’s face superimposed on that of the late leader.

A large number of users viewed the reference as mocking or belittling a figure regarded as central and sacred in China’s history. The reaction developed into a wave of criticism that has now led to Mbappe’s name being removed from the football ranking in China.