Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has apologised to China for referring to former leader Mao Zedong as a dictator, following a backlash that has caused several Chinese companies to cut ties with the French footballer.

Mbappé issued the apology on Tuesday, admitting that his remarks during a podcast appearance were ill-judged and had offended people in China and Chinese communities worldwide.

The controversy erupted after a video from a French podcast circulated online showing Mbappé reacting to a meme featuring his face superimposed on an image of a Chinese political leader.

In the video, the French captain referred to the person in the image as “some guy — I think he’s a Chinese dictator”, a remark widely understood to refer to Mao, who led China from 1949 until he died in 1976.

“During a recent interview, I reacted to an image of myself. My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” Mbappé said in a statement issued through his company, Interconnected Ventures.

“I apologise to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention.”

He added that he had deep respect for the Chinese people and their history.