The France forward has been depicted in military clothing, on a throne and alongside Soviet leader Josef Stalin. Mbappé reportedly accepts that some of the images were created in good faith, but believes the historical references cannot always be dismissed as simple humour.
“There's a part of it that's funny because you can tell that, for some people, it's good-natured,” Mbappé said. “There's also a part that's a little less funny because we know the damage that people like that have caused throughout history.”
That distinction matters. AI imagery can travel instantly, stripped of the context that might explain whether a joke is affectionate, provocative or deeply insensitive.
Mbappé also separated the wider online memes from the nickname used by France team-mate Ousmane Dembélé, who calls him “Mobut” - a reference to former Democratic Republic of the Congo leader Mobutu Sese Seko.
“With Ousmane, it's something different,” Mbappé said. “He picked it up from social media. With him, it's just a joke.”
The difference, in Mbappé’s view, lies in the personal relationship and the setting. A dressing-room nickname can carry an entirely different meaning from mass-produced images shared among millions of users.
Mbappé’s remarkable World Cup scoring record has made him one of football’s most recognisable figures, increasing both the attention around him and the speed at which images of him spread.
“I know it's done in a light-hearted way and that it doesn't go that far,” he explained. “But sometimes it shows a lack of political and human awareness among people.”
As football moves toward another World Cup cycle, the debate around AI likenesses will only intensify. The next challenge for players, supporters and platforms will be preserving humour without turning painful history into disposable content.