France striker Kylian Mbappé has expressed his reservations over a viral meme that superimposes his face onto the body of a dictator.
Although the meme went viral on social media to showcase his influence on the field of play, Mbappé acknowledged the humor in an interview with France Football while expressing caution regarding the misrepresentation it creates.
👀🇫🇷 Mbappe reacciona a los memes de ‘dictador’:
🗨️ “Hay una parte graciosa y otra menos divertida”.
❌ “Sabemos el daño que han causado esas personas en la historia”.
Vía ‘Ballondor’ (X) pic.twitter.com/q0nmWvVeIH
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) September 11, 2026
“There’s a funny side to it because you can sense that, for some people, it’s good natured.
“Then there’s a side that’s a bit less funny, because we know the damage people like that have caused throughout history.
“Being compared to people who murder others, or who have made millions upon millions of people miserable… I don’t think I’ve done that in my life.
“On one hand, I know it’s done lightheartedly and doesn’t go that far, but it sometimes reveals a lack of political and human awareness among people.”
According to BBC Sport, Mbappe also addressed the “Mobut” nickname he was called by France team-mate Ousmane Dembele during the 2026 World Cup.
That nickname comes from Mobutu Sese Seko, the dictator who ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo – formerly Zaire – for three decades.
“Ousmane, that’s a different thing. He took that from social media. He’s just having a laugh,” Mbappe said.
