France captain Kylian Mbappe has reacted to his nickname of ‘Mobutu’, the military dictator who killed so many during his reign as President of DR Congo.
During the 2026 World Cup, AI-generated images and videos of Kylian Mbappé acting like a dictator trended. This came in the wake of reports that the Real Madrid star had an authoritarian demeanor towards officials and referees, for example.
The 27-year-old France star has taken the viral phenomenon for what it is. At the same time, he sees two sides of the coin.
“To some extent it’s funny, because you get the feeling that it’s just for fun for some people. But there’s also a side that’s not as funny, because we know what these kinds of people have caused throughout history,” he told L’Equipe
“Being compared to people who murder others or who have caused misery for millions of people… I don’t think I’ve ever done that in my entire life. It’s a mix of things.”
He said he understands that the “meme” is first and foremost a joke.
“On the one hand, I know that this is done in a light-hearted way and that it is not meant to go too far. But perhaps it shows a lack of political and human awareness among people,” he reasoned.
