Kylian Mbappé, a Real Madrid player in Spain’s LaLiga

French online show The Bridge has reportedly issued an apology for a video clip of Kylian Mbappé’s inappropriate remarks about China, which have drawn widespread criticism, with many netizens calling for a boycott and multiple brands cutting ties with the French football player.  

“Yesterday, we published a video featuring Kylian Mbappé, recorded behind the scenes of an episode filmed last April. In this clip, we invited Kylian to react to humorous images of himself circulating on social media,” the show said, according to a screenshot of a French-English bilingual statement, which has been reported by several sports outlets, including Madrid Zone and Sports Extra.

“We deeply regret that this clip has caused offence to people in China and elsewhere around the world. We sincerely apologise to everyone who may have felt hurt or offended, as well as to Kylian, his partners, and any institutions whose relationships with China and the Chinese people may have been affected,” read the widely circulated statement.

This comes as Mbappé’s inappropriate remarks have drawn widespread criticism from Chinese netizens and prompted several Chinese companies to cut ties with the French footballer. On Tuesday, Mbappé apologized, saying that his comment was “ill-judged” and he is “sincerely sorry.”

The Spanish football league La Liga, where Mbappé plays, also issued a statement on Tuesday expressing regret over the offence caused to Chinese fans, while noting that Mbappé's comments had been made in a personal capacity and did not represent the league.

La Liga President Javier Tebas also apologized to Chinese fans, saying the league would work with clubs and players to strengthen cultural awareness and respect.

"I take on the responsibility of working with our clubs and players to strengthen awareness of and respect for different cultures," Tebas said. 

Global Times