Key Takeaways
- Kylian Mbappe addressed the viral "dictator" memes comparing him to historical dictators in an interview with France Football and L'Equipe published Friday.
- Mbappe said the comparisons to "people who murder people and who have made millions and millions of people miserable" go too far, though he understands some of it is meant lightheartedly.
- Mbappe gave a pass to Ousmane Dembele, the reigning Ballon d'Or holder, who picked up the "Mobut" nickname referencing former Zaire dictator Mobutu Sese Seko and used it for fun with France teammates at the World Cup.
- The meme trend started in March 2024 after Mbappe threatened legal action over a Marseille sandwich named after him, and it has since grown through AI images, TikTok edits, and a novelty song that topped 1 million Spotify streams.
Kylian Mbappé can laugh at some of the "dictator" memes that have taken over social media, but the Real Madrid superstar says there's a point where the joke goes too far.
Mbappé addressed the viral trend during a new interview with France Football and L'Equipe, acknowledging that while he understands the humor behind some of the edits, he isn't comfortable being compared to real-life dictators responsible for the suffering and deaths of millions.
"Part of it is funny because you can tell that, for some people, it's all in good fun and part of it is a little less funny because we know the damage people like that have caused throughout history," Mbappé said.
The memes show Mbappé being edited to appear alongside dictators and other authoritarian figures, something the French star believes can cross the line from harmless internet humor into something more troubling.
"So being compared to people who murder people and who have made millions and millions of people miserable, I don't think I've ever done that in my life," he said.
Mbappé added that he recognizes most people sharing the memes aren't necessarily trying to make a serious political statement. Still, he believes some of the jokes reveal a lack of understanding about the historical figures being referenced.
"So there's a mix of things where you think to yourself: 'I know it's meant in a light-hearted way' and so it doesn't go that far," he explained. "But it sometimes showcases that there's a lack of awareness, sometimes political, sometimes human, among people."
There is at least one person who gets a pass from Mbappé: his France teammate Ousmane Dembélé.
Dembélé has jokingly referred to Mbappé as "Mobut," a nickname inspired by former Zaire dictator Mobutu Sese Seko that emerged from the online meme. Dembélé was even filmed using the nickname around other members of the French national team during the World Cup.
"Yeah, but Ousmane is something else," Mbappé said. "He took it from social media. With him, it's just for fun."
The larger "dictator Mbappé" meme dates back to 2024 and has evolved considerably since then. One of its early viral moments came after Mbappé, who was still playing for Paris Saint-Germain at the time, threatened legal action against Marseille-based influencer and restaurant owner Mohammed Henni over a sandwich that referenced the football star.
Internet users subsequently began creating edits portraying Mbappé as various authoritarian leaders, and the joke has continued to take on new forms over the last two years. More recently, AI-generated images and TikTok videos have depicted him in military uniforms under names such as "General Mbappé."
The memes have even spawned music. Creator SurNevis released "Kylian Mbappe Dictador Anthem" in April, with the novelty track becoming a popular soundtrack for videos participating in the trend.
While Mbappé may have mixed feelings about his internet alter ego, things on the pitch have been considerably more straightforward. He has opened the season with five goals through five games for Real Madrid and was recently named among the 30 players shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or.
