# ‘Best thing is keep your mouth shut’ – Mourinho on Mbappe-Mao row

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/best-thing-is-keep-your-mouth-shut-mourinho-on-mbappe-mao-row/
- Published: 2026-10-31T17:40:41+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-31T18:48:46+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Sport (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ck9dz2yned67o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Sport

## Key points

- Mourinho praised Mbappe’s prompt apology.
- The comments sparked a backlash in China.
- Several Chinese brands dropped the forward.

## Summary

Jose Mourinho said Kylian Mbappe acted responsibly by apologising for comments about a meme depicting him as Mao Zedong, after the remarks drew angry reactions. The Real Madrid manager described the episode as a reminder that public comments can cause offence, while praising the forward and club for responding quickly.

Mbappe had said the meme that made him laugh most showed his face on an image resembling the Chinese leader, who died in 1976. A clip of the exchange prompted a backlash in China and elsewhere, and several Chinese brands dropped him. Mbappe later said he understood his remarks had hurt people in China and Chinese communities around the world.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.