Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho said "often the best thing you can do is keep your mouth shut" when asked about Kylian Mbappe's controversial comments about Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Mourinho made the remarks at a pre-match news conference on Saturday ahead of Real Madrid's La Liga game against Racing Santander.
Mbappe, 27, had apologized earlier in the week after a clip from a French talk show showed him laughing at a meme superimposing his face on an image resembling Mao, who died in 1976. The comment sparked backlash in China and led several Chinese brands to drop the forward.
Mourinho acknowledged the dangers of modern communication but praised Mbappe's quick apology, saying he acted "very responsibly" and showed "true class." The Portuguese manager added that both Real Madrid and Mbappe had reacted with class and he felt well represented by them.
Mourinho also dismissed concerns about artificial intelligence-generated fake videos, stating he does not worry because his club and player have shown immediate, classy responses.
