‘It’s in part funny, but…’ – Kylian Mbappe hits out at viral ‘dictator’ meme as Real Madrid superstar questions fans’ ‘political awareness’

Despite his status as one of the world’s most recognisable athletes, Mbappe appears uneasy with the gravity of the comparison. In an interview with French publication L’Equipe, he elaborated on the duality of the situation, saying: “It is in part funny because you get the sense that, for some people, it’s all in good fun.

“But there is also the part that is not so funny, because we know the damage this genre of people have caused throughout history.

“To be compared to people who murder others, or who have caused misery for millions and millions of people … I don’t think I’ve ever done anything like that in my life. So there’s a mix of things.

“On the one hand, I know it’s done in a lighthearted way and it isn’t meant to be taken too far, but it perhaps shows a lack of political and human awareness in people.”