'Best thing is keep your mouth shut' - Mourinho on Mbappe-Mao row

What the report says

Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has weighed in on the reaction to Kylian Mbappe’s comments comparing himself with Mao Zedong, saying people should sometimes "keep your mouth shut" when speaking publicly. BBC Sport reported that Mourinho made the remarks at a pre-match news conference before Real Madrid’s La Liga meeting with Racing Santander, while also defending the France forward’s response to the backlash.

Mbappe apologised after saying on a French talk show that the meme that made him laugh most involved a comparison with Mao, the Chinese leader who died in 1976. The clip prompted anger on social media in China and elsewhere, and BBC Sport said some Chinese brands ended ties with the player. Mbappe later said he understood that his remarks had hurt people in China and in Chinese communities around the world.

Mourinho said the episode showed the risks of modern public life, especially when comments are quickly circulated and judged online. He added that Mbappe had acted responsibly by apologising and described both the player and Real Madrid as having handled the matter with class. The manager also said he was not concerned about being misrepresented by artificial intelligence videos and stood by his club and player.

The comments matter because Mbappe is one of football’s most prominent figures and the reaction underlines how sensitive political references can become in global sport, particularly when they involve China.