Atta Poku explains why China is taking on Mbappé over dictatorship comment

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aduana FC, Collins Atta Poku, has said the Chinese are justified in expressing displeasure over Kylian Mbappé’s comment describing their former leader, Mao Zedong, as a “dictator”.

According to him, the France national team captain’s remark reflects what he considers a tendency among Western Europeans to undermine the leadership of China and other countries outside Europe.

Speaking on Ahenfie TV, Atta Poku cited historical examples of European leaders whose leadership styles, he argued, bore similarities to Mao Zedong’s, yet their achievements are often highlighted despite allegations of human rights abuses and the violent struggles associated with their rise to power.

China bans La Liga broadcasts over controversial Mbappé comment

“The reality is that, at the time, they needed to take power from the elitist to the lower-tier people. There are claims that Mao Zedong killed people and infringed upon people’s rights, and they are pro-Western English. When you come to mainstream Europe, who built Turkey? Kemal Atatürk, what did he do?

“But they will talk more about the positives, and the part where he trampled upon people’s rights, they remove it. When Mbappé plays, he sings the French national anthem, which glorifies war because it is a call to arms to fight. Didn’t Napoleon kill people? In Italy, Benito Mussolini, didn’t he kill people? Adolf Hitler of Germany, too, so what is the point?” he questioned.

The sports pundit further criticised what he described as hypocrisy in European attitudes towards leaders from other continents, arguing that European nations should also be scrutinised for their own historical records.

“The two biggest economies in Europe are France and Germany, and they have the temerity to speak against Mao Zedong because of human rights abuses and tendencies toward dictatorship, but when it gets to their turn, it's different,” he added.

Mbappé had issued an official apology to the Chinese people, acknowledging his mistake and expressing regret for the offence caused.

Real Madrid and La Liga also apologised over the controversy and called for a swift resolution to preserve their relationship with China.

However, Chinese authorities reportedly maintain that an apology is insufficient to resolve the controversy surrounding Mbappé’s remarks about Mao Zedong.

Watch the video below:

Streisand effect on the Mbappe vs China issues and Why Madrid is at the centre of such Geopolitics…

Did this with my Uncle @PapaPoku … we took it back like Sompa days🤣💯🔥🔥☺️👇🏽 https://t.co/TQ7pvlTjr4

— Michael Akomeah (@akomeahmessiah) October 28, 2026