Mbappé’s ‘Dictator’ Memes Go Viral, But His Reaction Is Not What Fans Expected

Kylian Mbappé has admitted that he could see the humour in the wave of AI-generated memes portraying him as a dictator, but said some of the comparisons went too far because they involved historical figures linked to mass suffering and tragedy.

The France captain became the subject of a stream of bizarre social media creations during the World Cup, with AI-generated images showing him in military uniforms, sitting on a throne and standing alongside controversial political leaders, including Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Speaking to France Football magazine, Mbappé said he understood that most of the memes were created in a light-hearted spirit. However, he was uncomfortable with being compared with people responsible for immense human suffering.

“There’s a part of it that’s funny because you can tell that, for some people, it’s good-natured,” Mbappé said. But he added that another part was “a little less funny” because of the historical consequences associated with such figures.

The France striker said he found it difficult to see the joke when the comparisons involved people who had killed others or made millions suffer.

Mbappé also suggested that the trend reflected a wider problem with how historical and political figures are treated online. While acknowledging that the memes were not necessarily intended to be serious, he said they could sometimes show “a lack of political and human awareness”.

The jokes have also extended to Mbappé’s France teammates. Ousmane Dembélé has nicknamed him “Mobut”, a reference to former Congolese autocratic leader Mobutu Sese Seko, after picking up the joke from social media.

Mbappé, however, made a distinction between Dembélé’s nickname and the wider social media trend. He said that with his teammate, “it’s just a joke”.

The comments come after another remarkable World Cup milestone for Mbappé. The France forward has overtaken Lionel Messi to become the player with the most career World Cup goals, with 22, adding another landmark to an already extraordinary international career.

For Mbappé, the episode highlights the strange territory where football fame, AI-generated imagery and social media humour increasingly overlap.