IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/David Butler II
Here's why soccer fans refer to Kylian Mbappe as "Dictator Mbappe"
France and Real Madrid star striker Kylian Mbappe has reached a status beyond an internationally famous footballer. He’s become a meme — and that meme has turned him into a dictator.
While the meme originally used to paint Kylian Mbappe in a negative light, a recent perception of favoritism toward Lionel Messi and Argentina by FIFA and its officials during the 2026 World Cup has fans believing that France, and thus Dictator Mbappe, are the only ones capable of stopping the defending champions from repeating.
“No Corruption, No Distractions, No Parties, No Tattoos, No Controversies, No Arrogance, No Flaws, No Favoritism, just pure Talent and Dictatorship,” said a tweet that racked up over 163,000 likes.
I’m sorry Morocco. We all love an underdog story, but we’ve got a job to finish… we have to stop corruption. pic.twitter.com/r6QORItud2
— Martien 🇳🇱 (@MartienBall) July 9, 2026
Fans taking this Mbappe’s General thing to another level as Moroccan fans showed respect after their loss. ✋️ pic.twitter.com/Puw8h6zLse
— POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) July 10, 2026
The “Dictator Mbappe” meme can be traced back to a 2024 kebab shop dispute but truly exploded during his tumultuous 2025/26 season at Real Madrid
The Dictator Mbappe meme predates the 2026 World Cup, specifically after he got into a legal tussle with a Marseille-based kebab shop owner who used his name in the description of one of his sandwiches. According to ESPN, Mohamed Henni, an influencer based in Marseille who is “well known in the football world in France,” described his Klüb kebab by saying that it is done with a “baker round bread, as round as Mbappé’s skull.”
Mbappe responded by having his lawyers send a letter to Henni threatening legal action if he did not remove his name from the sandwich’s description.
The “Dictator Mbappe” meme also has on-the-field origins. His previous manager at PSG, Luis Enrique, famously scolded him for not following his tactical instructions or putting in the required effort on defense.
Top 5 dictator Mbappe’s moments in the World Cup pic.twitter.com/VeyyB5hmrT
— Sam (@thatsam009_) July 9, 2026
Even his interactions with France President Macron have played into the running bit.
Just watch how Mbappe moves with the President of France & you’ll see why https://t.co/h4qlSr1JGh pic.twitter.com/7XK7oFNYz6
— Anos Voldigoad V (@KingLohengramm) July 10, 2026
Soccer fans also have highlighted clips of Mbappe snatching the captain’s armband from Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal and him telling French teammate Rayan Cherki to take the captain’s armband from Ngolo Kanté and bring it to him.
The meme truly blew up last season, his second with Real Madrid. Reports from earlier this year indicated that “some players were said to be frustrated with the French forward, while those close to him believe there were internal attempts to damage the image of the Real Madrid superstar.”
Issues within the Real Madrid locker room this season reportedly stemmed from the early-season firing of first-year manager Xabi Alonso, a decision that reportedly split the locker room in two, with one camp being led by Brazilian star winger Vinicius Jr. and the other by Mbappe. Those divides came to a boiling point in May when teammates Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni got into a physical altercation during training.
“Reports emerging from Spain over the last several days have alleged an internal split at Real Madrid. According to COPE’s ‘El Partidazo’, as results slipped, frustrations that had been simmering beneath the surface erupted into clear divisions within the squad. The outlet claims that six players — Fede Valverde, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz, Endrick and Ferland Mendy — have grown discontent with the coach’s decisions and tactical management. Vinicius is believed to be at the centre of the unrest,” Goal reported in November 2025.
“Meanwhile, a second group of players has reportedly come out strongly in support of Alonso’s leadership during this turbulent period. That camp consists of Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois, Arda Guler, defender Dean Huijsen and full-back Alvaro Carreras.”
While Mbappe’s career with Real Madrid thus far has been a disappointment — plenty of drama and no major titles such as La Liga or the Champions League (while his previous club Paris Saint-Germain has won two straight UCLs in the two seasons since he left), his France career has been anything but, as he’s one game away from leading France to its third straight World Cup final after winning the tournament in 2018 and finishing runner-up in 2022, and is just one goal behind Messi on the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer list.