Mbappé–Mao Zedong controversy: meme creator regrets the consequences of his video

Mbappé still caught up in the controversy

Europe Today at 05:03

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Mbappé–Mao Zedong controversy: meme creator regrets the consequences of his video

Younes Khelifi, creator of the viral edit depicting Kylian Mbappé as Mao Zedong, says he feels sorry for the French striker. What was supposed to be a simple humorous video has become an international controversy, with commercial and media repercussions for the Real Madrid star.

“I feel sorry for Mbappé.”

Those were the words used by Younes Khelifi, known on social media by the pseudonym frenchaicovers, as he reacted to the scale the affair has reached. In an interview with So Foot, the French developer looks back at the circumstances surrounding the creation of the meme and the unexpected consequences of its distribution.

A humorous video that went viral

At the heart of the affair is a video posted in August 2023, at a time when Kylian Mbappé was in the spotlight because of the tensions surrounding his future at Paris Saint-Germain. The creator explains that he was interested in the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence and deepfakes for making humorous videos.

It was in this context that he came up with the idea of depicting the France captain as Mao Zedong. He insists that he never intended to offend the Chinese people.

“I was just making humorous videos and the idea crossed my mind, so I did it,” he explains.

Younes Khelifi did not expect the edit to resurface on such a large scale, nor to trigger a crisis that would extend far beyond football.

Commercial consequences for Mbappé

The controversy erupted after Kylian Mbappé commented on Mao Zedong, the former Chinese leader, whom he described as a dictator. His remarks sparked strong reactions in China. According to reports in the press, several Chinese brands decided to sever their commercial ties with the player, while the broadcasting of La Liga matches was suspended in the Chinese market.

Faced with this situation, the creator of the meme says he was surprised by the scale the affair reached.

“I didn’t think it would cross borders and create a diplomatic incident,” he says.

He regrets the consequences this controversy could have for the image and commercial prospects of the Madrid-based striker.

“The fact that he has to endure so much because of an awkward remark, that he is losing sponsors and a potential audience, is sad,” he believes.

Is the creator worried about legal action?

The scale of the controversy has also led Younes Khelifi to question his own responsibility. He says he wondered whether Mbappé’s entourage could take legal action against him and seek damages.

After making inquiries, he says he is not particularly worried from a legal standpoint. Nevertheless, he is considering taking precautions before a possible trip to China, even wondering whether he should contact the French embassy to check that the situation posed no risk to him.

The affair has taken on such proportions that it is now difficult for him to explain to those around him.

“My mother still doesn’t know,” he reveals humorously.

Behind this anecdote lies a reality of social media: content created to make people laugh can escape its creator, take on a different significance and produce consequences they had never anticipated. For Younes Khelifi, the Mbappé meme will above all remain an example of a joke that unexpectedly became an international affair.

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