French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo has said Kylian Mbappe should be given the opportunity to move past the controversy surrounding his comments about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, arguing that the France captain has apologised and did not intend to cause offence.

Mbappe’s club, Real Madrid, and LaLiga have also issued apologies following the remarks. Meanwhile, LaLiga president Javier Tebas established a crisis unit and met Chinese ambassador Yao Jing on Wednesday as Spanish football authorities worked to limit the impact of the controversy.

The incident has highlighted the potential risks faced by athletes and brands operating in China’s lucrative market, where jokes or criticism involving Mao remain highly sensitive.

Mao, regarded as the founder of modern China, led the country from 1949 until his death in 1976.

Chinese state media outlet China Daily reported that Mbappe’s comments had “triggered a backlash among his Chinese fans, threatened his lucrative commercial relationships and offered a sharp reminder of the limits of celebrity influence.”

The fallout has also affected the French forward’s commercial partnerships in China. State-owned broadcaster Migu will not air Real Madrid’s match against Racing Santander on Sunday, while Chinese companies, including dairy producers Mengniu and Shanghai Milkground Food Tech, along with Eastroc Beverage, have ended their collaborations with Mbappe.

Despite the growing controversy, French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo expressed hope that the situation would be resolved soon.

“Hopefully, this controversy will not last, as Kylian has clearly explained the context in which his comments were made. He has apologised,” Diallo was quoted as saying by French newspaper Ouest-France on Thursday.

“I believe we should now put the matter behind us so he can continue his season in the best possible conditions,” he added.

The controversy centres on a long-running joke about the influence Mbappe, 27, is perceived to have at club level.

In a French podcast video that has since been removed, Mbappe discussed a humorous meme featuring his face superimposed on the image of “some guy — I think he’s a Chinese dictator.”

Fans have previously created similar memes placing Mbappe’s face on images of military and political leaders, suggesting that he has significant influence over decisions at the clubs he represents. The France captain has also been dubbed “the dictator” by sections of the European press.