Kylian Mbappé has opened up about the wave of AI-generated memes that swept across social media during the World Cup, in which the France forward was digitally portrayed as a dictator-like figure, appearing in military attire, seated on a throne, or placed alongside notorious historical figures such as Joseph Stalin.
In an interview with France Football magazine, Mbappé addressed the online trend with a mixed response, admitting he could see the comedic intent behind the images while expressing discomfort at being associated with individuals responsible for immense human suffering throughout history.
"There's a part of it that's funny because you can tell that, for some people, it's good-natured," Mbappé said. "There's also a part that's a little less funny because we know the damage that people like that have caused throughout history. Being compared to people who murder others, or who have made millions and millions of people miserable... I don't think I've done that in my life. So there's a mixture of things."
The Real Madrid striker, who made history at the World Cup by surpassing Lionel Messi's tally to become the tournament's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals, suggested that while the memes were largely intended as harmless fun, they also revealed a broader issue.
"I know it's done in a light-hearted way and that it doesn't go that far, but sometimes it shows a lack of political and human awareness among people," he explained.
Mbappé also touched on a separate, more affectionate nickname given to him by France teammate Ousmane Dembélé, who has referred to him as "Mobut" — a playful nod to the former Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. Unlike the AI memes, Mbappé drew a clear distinction when discussing the nickname's origins and intent.
"With Ousmane, it's something different," he said. "He picked it up from social media. With him, it's just a joke."
Away from the meme controversy, another story involving Mbappé resurfaced this week concerning a missed opportunity for Manchester United to sign him back in 2015. Former United midfielder Ryan Giggs, who was part of Louis van Gaal's coaching staff at the time, revealed on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast that the club had been tipped off about a promising young talent playing for Monaco, but ultimately chose not to pursue the signing.
According to Giggs, United's scouting team traveled to Paris to watch the youngster in a match between Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain. When Giggs later followed up with the French contact who had made the recommendation, he was told the scouts "weren't too sure" about the player, and the club decided not to proceed.
That player turned out to be Mbappé, who went on to establish himself as one of football's brightest talents. He broke into Monaco's first team and helped the club capture the Ligue 1 title in 2017, before completing a move to Paris Saint-Germain for one of the highest transfer fees in football history. During his time in Paris, Mbappé also played a starring role in France's World Cup triumph. In 2024, he departed PSG to join Real Madrid, where he has continued to build on his reputation as one of the game's premier forwards.
Based on reporting from The Independent.