Real Madrid, the reigning European champions, are facing a wave of criticism from the Far East, specifically China, following an ill-considered act by their young defender, Dean Hoesen. This incident has placed the club in a very difficult position, prompting swift action from the management to try and contain the growing public anger, at a time when the club is striving to maintain its global image as one of the leading sports institutions that rejects racism.
Details of the image that sparked the controversy
The crisis erupted over the weekend when the 20-year-old player reposted a photo on his personal Instagram account. The photo, which was later deleted, contained what Chinese and other Asian followers considered blatantly racist, as it mocked Asian eye features. While the player may not have intended to be directly offensive, the image included comments and symbols that sparked widespread outrage on social media, turning the matter into a major sporting controversy.
Apology via Weibo and calls for expansion
In an attempt to rectify the situation, the club issued a statement in the player's name, written in Chinese, via the popular Chinese platform Weibo. The apology read: "I sincerely apologize to my Chinese friends. I previously shared content containing offensive messages unintentionally. This was completely unintentional, and I regret any inconvenience caused." Despite this move, a large segment of the Chinese public questioned the sincerity of the apology, demanding that it be published on the club's official global accounts (such as X and Facebook) to ensure the message reached a global audience, rather than being confined to a local platform. This reflects the fans' desire for an international acknowledgment of the mistake.
Previous record of tensions before the Wembley final
This incident is particularly sensitive as it is not the first of its kind recently; it brings to mind the tension that arose before the 2024 Champions League final. At that time, a video circulated of a Real Madrid fan singing a song that the Chinese embassy in Spain described as "offensive and vulgar," forcing the club to issue a formal apology. The recurrence of such incidents puts Florentino Pérez's administration under considerable pressure to tighten control over player behavior and online content to ensure that relations with one of the club's largest consumer markets in the world are not damaged.
The economic and public dimensions of the crisis
This incident cannot be viewed in isolation from the strategic importance of the Chinese market for major European clubs. Real Madrid is one of the most popular clubs in Asia, and China is a vital market for shirt sales, broadcasting rights, and sponsorship deals. Any prolonged tension with Chinese fans could lead to negative economic repercussions or boycott campaigns, which explains the club's swift response via Weibo. This incident underscores the need to educate young players, like Hoisin, about the social and cultural responsibility they bear when wearing the shirt of a club the size of Real Madrid.
