Jose Mourinho suggested that “often the best thing you can do is keep your mouth shut” when questioned about the furious response to Kylian Mbappe’s “ill-judged” remarks regarding China’s former leader Mao Zedong.
The Real Madrid head coach described causing offence as one of the “dangers of today’s world,” though he praised the France forward for acting “very responsibly” and displaying “true class” by issuing a swift apology.
Mbappe apologized after stating that the meme he found funniest compared him to Mao, referring to him as a “Chinese dictator.”
Mourinho addressed the matter during a Saturday pre-match news conference ahead of Sunday’s La Liga fixture against Racing Santander.
The Portuguese manager said: “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.”
“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,” he added.
Mbappe, frequently dubbed a “dictator” due to his enormous influence in football, was discussing his nickname on an episode of the French talk show The Bridge when the host asked him about memes that made him laugh.
The 27-year-old said the meme that made him “laugh the most” was “a video of a guy, I think it’s a Chinese dictator…” before the program cut to footage of a meme superimposing Mbappe’s face onto an image resembling Mao.
A clip of the exchange triggered a backlash across social media in China and worldwide, prompting several Chinese brands to drop Mbappe.
On Tuesday, the Real Madrid forward released a statement apologizing for his “ill-judged” comments, saying, “I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world.”
Mourinho, who won La Liga in the 2011-12 season during his first tenure at Real Madrid, was also asked whether he feared being misrepresented by AI-generated fake video clips featuring himself and Mbappe.
“I don’t worry,” he 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.”
Also Read
- Rex Ryan Considers Return to Coaching as Maryland Terrapins Target
- Gotham FC and San Diego Wave Vie for NWSL Shield While Seattle Reign Secure Play‑off Spot as Final Decision Day Race Unfolds
- WTC 2025-27 Standings Reshuffled as South Africa Claims Series Victory Over Australia
- Nikita Kucherov’s Loyalty to Tampa Bay Stands Apart From Hellebuyck and Larkin
