Kylian Mbappé commented on the dictator nickname he received from his France national team teammates during the 2026 World Cup. The joke references Mobutu Sese Seko, the former dictator who ruled what was then Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, for more than three decades. The nickname originated within the French national team squad and gained traction on social media during the World Cup. The Real Madrid player was called 'Mobutu' by Ousmane Dembélé in a recorded video.
The forward acknowledged the humorous tone of the situation but weighed in on the weight of the comparison. Mbappé stated in an interview with L'Équipe that there is a funny part to the joke, as some people see it as a harmless joke.
However, Mbappé also highlighted the less funny side of the comparison. He recalled that Mobutu and similar figures caused enormous damage throughout history, leaving millions of people unhappy.
Therefore, the player considered the comparison inappropriate. According to Mbappé, he never murdered people or left millions of people unhappy, unlike the dictators he was compared to.
