Mia JonesKylian Mbappé is fighting a very modern battle, and it has nothing to do with defenders. In June 2026 the France and Real Madrid captain pushed the French Football Federation to stop betting company Betclic from using his image, according to SBC News, reviving a row that first flared at the 2022 World Cup. It is the latest chapter in a career-long campaign by the striker to control who profits from his face and name — he has previously sued a kebab shop for trading on his likeness, as ESPN reported. The dispute raises a question that matters far beyond football: who actually owns your image, and can a business use your face or name to sell something without asking?
For Australians, the answer is more complicated than most people assume — and it is a question worth understanding before your photo, name or voice ends up on a poster, a social feed or an advertisement.
What Mbappé is actually arguing
Mbappé's complaint is about "collective image rights." When he plays for France, a share of his commercial value is bundled into deals the federation signs — including, until recently, arrangements with licensed bookmakers. Betclic acquired rights to use the images of French internationals back in 2023. Mbappé argues that individual players should be able to opt out of promotions, especially for gambling and fast food, that clash with their personal reputation.
In many European countries, dedicated "image rights" law makes this a clear commercial contest. A player's likeness is treated as property that can be licensed, protected and fought over in court. That framework is why Mbappé's legal team can move quickly against a kebab maker or a betting brand.
Australia has no equivalent standalone "image rights" or "personality rights" statute. That surprises a lot of people. Instead, anyone here whose image is misused has to reach for a patchwork of other laws.
How Australian law protects your image
Even without a single image-rights law, several tools can apply when a business uses your face or name without permission.
The most powerful is the Australian Consumer Law. Section 18 prohibits conduct that is misleading or deceptive. If a company uses your image in a way that suggests you endorse a product when you do not, that false impression can breach the law. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission enforces these rules and explains what counts as a false or misleading claim on its website.
The second tool is the common law action of "passing off." This protects the goodwill and reputation a person has built. Celebrities have used it to stop businesses implying a commercial association that does not exist. The classic Australian example involved actor Paul Hogan, whose team successfully challenged an unauthorised parody that traded on his fame.
A third avenue is defamation, if the use of your image damages your reputation — for instance, linking you to a product or cause you find objectionable. Privacy and copyright questions can also arise, though copyright usually protects the photographer, not the person photographed.
Why this matters for everyday Australians
You do not need to be a World Cup winner for this to affect you. Small business owners, tradespeople, influencers, models and ordinary customers all run into image disputes. A gym might keep using a former member's transformation photo. A real estate agent might feature a tenant in marketing. A local brand might repost a customer's face to imply endorsement. A former employee might find their headshot still selling a company's services months after they left.
Because Australia relies on a mix of consumer law, passing off and defamation rather than one clear statute, outcomes depend heavily on the facts: how the image was used, whether it implied endorsement, and what damage resulted. That uncertainty is exactly why professional advice is valuable before you either send a threatening letter or ignore a misuse that could be worth pursuing.
What to do if your image is being used without consent
If you discover your face, name or voice being used commercially without your agreement, a few practical steps help.
First, document everything. Screenshot the advertisement, the website or the social post, and record the date and where it appeared. Evidence disappears quickly online.
Second, check whether you ever gave consent. Many disputes turn on a release form signed years earlier, a model contract, or the fine print of a competition entry. Read what you actually agreed to.
Third, assess the commercial impact. Was the use implying you endorse a product? Did it damage your reputation or cost you an opportunity? The strength of any claim under the Australian Consumer Law or in passing off depends on these answers.
Fourth, get tailored advice before acting. A lawyer who works in intellectual property, media or consumer law can tell you quickly whether you have a genuine claim, what a cease-and-desist letter should say, and whether the matter is worth pursuing or better resolved with a simple request. Sending an aggressive legal threat without grounds can backfire, while doing nothing can let a business keep profiting from you.
The bigger lesson from the Mbappé row
Mbappé has the resources to litigate anywhere in the world, but his core grievance is one many Australians share: the feeling that a business is cashing in on their identity without consent. His dispute with the French federation — playing out in the same tournament that produced a tense stand-off between France and Paraguay — shows that even elite stars have to fight to keep control of their own image in an age of constant advertising and social media.
For the rest of us, the takeaway is simpler. Your face, name and reputation have value, and Australian law does offer protection — just not through a single obvious rule. Knowing which law applies, and getting expert guidance early, is what turns a frustrating misuse into a claim you can actually act on.
If you think your image is being used without permission, connecting with a consumer-law or intellectual-property specialist through Expert Zoom is the fastest way to find out where you stand before the next campaign goes live.
