Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has addressed the recent controversy surrounding Kylian Mbappe, suggesting that silence is frequently the safest course in the modern digital age while praising the French forward’s swift apology.
Speaking at a Saturday news conference ahead of his side’s La Liga fixture against Racing Santander, Mourinho remarked on the backlash triggered by Mbappe’s reference to China’s late leader Mao Zedong. The Portuguese coach observed that causing unintentional offence represents one of the constant perils of contemporary public life.
“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,” Mourinho stated. “But I’ve also seen him act very responsibly toward a club that, at this level, is truly first-class. And as far as we’re concerned, that’s it. There’s nothing else for us to do.”
The controversy began during an appearance on the French talk show The Bridge, where the 27-year-old footballer was asked about internet memes that amused him. Mbappe mentioned a video featuring a “Chinese dictator,” leading the broadcast to display a digitally altered clip superimposing the player’s face onto an image resembling Mao Zedong, who died in 1976. Mbappe, whose dominant sporting influence has frequently earned him the playful moniker of a footballing dictator, laughed at the comparison.
The exchange sparked immediate international criticism and a severe social media backlash in China, prompting multiple Chinese commercial brands to sever ties with the athlete. In response, Mbappe issued an apology on Tuesday, describing his remarks as “ill-judged” and acknowledging that he now understands how the comments hurt individuals in China and Chinese communities globally. He has scored 11 league goals for Real Madrid this season.
Asked whether he harbored concerns regarding artificial intelligence and the potential misuse of deepfake video technology to misrepresent him or his players, Mourinho dismissed any anxiety.
“I don’t worry,” the manager said. “My club is Real Madrid, and my player is Kylian Mbappe. Both Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappe have shown the class to react immediately, and I feel very well represented by both of them.”
