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Kylian Mbappé has acknowledged finding humor in viral memes portraying him as a dictator, though he has urged people to think more carefully before drawing comparisons to some of history's most divisive figures.
The memes are believed to have first emerged in 2024 when Mbappé took legal action against Mohamed Henni, the owner of a kebab restaurant, over a menu item named after the shape of the striker's head. In retaliation, Henni accused Mbappé of "turning his name into a dictatorship."
Since then, many have interpreted the memes as a nod to Mbappé's alleged influence behind closed doors at both Real Madrid and his former club Paris Saint-Germain.
"Part of it is amusing, because it feels playful," Mbappé told France Football. "Another part is less so, because we know the harm these kinds of people have inflicted throughout history.
"Being compared to someone who kills people, or who has caused millions to suffer ... It's a mixed feeling. I understand it's meant to be lighthearted, but it reveals a lack of awareness — sometimes political, sometimes human — in certain people."
Even France national team colleague Ousmane Dembélé has drawn on the memes to coin the nickname "Mobut" for Mbappé, a reference to former DR Congo president Mobutu Sese Seko.
"He picked it up from social media!" Mbappé laughed. "He's just having a laugh."
Mbappé: Criticism Comes With Success
As he closes in on his 28th birthday, Mbappé has been widely regarded as one of the finest players on the planet for the better part of a decade. That standing, supported by nearly 450 goals across club and international football, inevitably invites intense scrutiny.
"A great deal of criticism," Mbappé admitted. "I have a measured relationship with criticism.
"There's constructive criticism and then there's the kind that's a bit more senseless. I don't have an issue with it. It doesn't intimidate me when I need to make a decision. If I know it's the right one for me, I go straight ahead with it. My track record has shown that.
"The higher you rise, the harder it becomes to please everyone. And the chances are much greater that certain people simply won't warm to you. If I'd wanted universal approval, I wouldn't have left home. With time, maturity and experience, it all becomes less of a concern. I know how to live with the fact that some people don't share my outlook or values.
"That's the reality for someone near the very top. Everyone has known for years what I'm capable of. So, people no longer focus on what I do but on what I don't. That's human nature. I don't take it personally. I know the football world very well, and very little surprises me anymore. These things come with being among the global elite."