Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has addressed the backlash surrounding Kylian Mbappe's recent remarks about China's late leader Mao Zedong, warning that "often the best thing you can do is keep your mouth shut." Speaking on Saturday during his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's La Liga trip to Racing Santander, the Portuguese coach highlighted the risk of causing offence as one of the "dangers of today's world," while commending the 27-year-old forward for demonstrating "true class" through a prompt apology.
The controversy emerged after Mbappe featured on an episode of the French talk show The Bridge. Discussing his nickname "dictator"—bestowed upon him due to his significant stature in world football—the attacker was asked about the memes that entertained him most. Mbappe responded that his favourite was "a video of a guy, I think it's a Chinese dictator," prior to the broadcast displaying footage featuring his face superimposed over an image resembling Mao. The segment provoked widespread criticism on social media across China and globally, prompting several Chinese brands to drop the France international.
Addressing the fallout on Tuesday, Mbappe issued a formal statement apologizing for his "ill-judged" words, acknowledging: "I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world." Mourinho, who previously guided Real Madrid to the 2011-12 La Liga crown during his initial tenure at the club, insisted the situation is now resolved. He noted that Mbappe had acted "very responsibly toward a club that, at this level, is truly first-class," concluding that "there's nothing else for us to do."
The Real Madrid head coach was also asked whether he felt concerned about potential misrepresentation from artificial intelligence video fakes featuring him and Mbappe, who has netted 11 league goals for the team this season. Mourinho dismissed any unease, stating that he does not worry because both the club and player exhibited the class to respond immediately, leaving him feeling "very well represented by both of them" as they prepare for Sunday's fixture at Racing Santander.