What began as criticism of the enormous influence Kylian Mbappé seemed to have within PSG ended up becoming one of the most popular memes of the 2026 World Cup. These are the most memorable occasions that fueled that humorous image of the French forward:
1. The PSG contract extension that changed everything (2022)
When Mbappé decided to extend his contract with Paris Saint-Germain instead of signing for Real Madrid, rumors began that the club had granted him unprecedented power. Since then, many fans started joking that he “had more authority than the president”.
2. The accusations of controlling the sporting project
In the following months, numerous media outlets and fans speculated that he had influence over signings, contract extensions and even coaching decisions. Although it was never officially confirmed, that perception strengthened the nickname “dictator”.
3. The conflicts with Neymar
Arguments over penalty kicks and other friction in the locker room led social media to portray him as the one who imposed the team’s rules. The memes began to multiply.
4. Lionel Messi’s departure from PSG
When Messi left the club in 2023, some fans pointed out that the project had been built entirely around Mbappé. There was no evidence that he influenced that decision, but the meme kept growing.
5. The contractual conflict with PSG
During his final year in Paris, tensions between the player and the club’s management further fueled the idea that Mbappé had enormous political weight within the club. Edited images portraying him as a head of state or military leader began appearing online.
6. The case of influencer Mohamed Henni
The French content creator claimed to have received legal action after making a joke about Mbappé and even said that the forward was turning his image into a “dictatorship”. That phrase was widely shared and ended up boosting the meme even further.
7. His arrival at Real Madrid
Even before playing many matches for the Spanish club, the jokes were quick to appear. On social media, posts were already circulating humorously claiming that he would now also control Real Madrid’s locker room.
8. The explosion of videos created with artificial intelligence
During the 2026 World Cup, the meme reached another level thanks to dozens of AI-generated videos showing Mbappé as a fictional military leader, president or dictator. The edits quickly went viral on TikTok, X, Instagram and Facebook.
9. The nickname within the French national team
A video from France’s training camp showed a teammate calling him “Mobut'”, apparently in reference to Mobutu Sese Seko, a military officer and politician who ruled the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The moment led many to conclude that the meme had even reached the French locker room.
10. Didier Deschamps ended up talking about the meme
Its popularity was so great that the French national team coach himself was asked about it at a press conference and replied: “You make him seem like a dictator. The reality is exactly the opposite”. Far from putting an end to the jokes, that statement made the meme go even more viral.
Although the nickname was born from criticism of the influence many believed Mbappé had at PSG, over time it ended up becoming an internet phenomenon. Today, most references to the “dictator Mbappé” are part of a viral meme that mixes humor, artificial intelligence and football culture, rather than an accusation based on proven facts.