China is one of the top searches in the U.S. today after a joke by Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe set off a backlash in the country, costing him sponsors and pulling Spain's top league off Chinese state TV.

Mbappe referenced a meme of himself and "a guy ... I think he was a Chinese dictator," after which an image of his face on the body of Mao Zedong appeared, The Guardian reported. Mbappe has been nicknamed "the dictator" since his Paris Saint-Germain days.

The reaction in China was swift. He was condemned online, dropped by brands and blamed for state television suspending LaLiga from its schedule.

Apologies all around

On Tuesday Mbappe apologized. "My comment was ill-judged and I now understand that it hurt many people in China," he said. LaLiga said it "deeply regrets the offence" the comments caused among Chinese fans and Real Madrid also apologized.

LaLiga chief Javier Tebas held talks with China's ambassador to Spain as the league tries to restore its broadcasts, ESPN reported.

Why it matters

Mbappe's face appears on buses, subways and online ads across China and his commercial deals there have been estimated at as much as $30 million. Foreign brands and stars have faced similar backlash in China in the past.