Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, two of football’s most prominent young talents, reportedly obscured a message of support for the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta before Real Madrid’s recent match against Elche. The incident, also involving Ibrahima Konate, occurred amidst an ongoing migration crisis in the region that has seen thousands arrive from Morocco.
Ahead of the Tuesday fixture, Mbappe, Vinicius, and Konate were observed rolling up their pre-game T-shirts, which bore the message “Todos somos caballas” (“We are all Ceutans”) alongside references to the Spanish city. While most players from both Real Madrid and Elche wore the shirts fully as intended, the actions of the trio drew attention. According to BBC Sport, Mbappe and Vinicius removed their shirts entirely before the pre-match handshake, while Konate kept his on for a longer period.
Ceuta’s ongoing crisis
The initiative to wear the shirts was part of a wider show of solidarity for Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city located on the North African coast, bordering Morocco and separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar. The city has been at the heart of a significant migration crisis. In a concentrated period on July 30 and 31, at least 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, with many reportedly swimming around a border fence.
The humanitarian impact has been severe. Figures from Ceuta’s mayor indicate that at least 100 people died during the crossing. Furthermore, an estimated 5,000 migrants are still in the city, residing in makeshift camps or sleeping on its streets and beaches. Real Madrid had previously demonstrated support for Ceuta before their Champions League encounter with Inter Milan on September 8 at the Santiago Bernabeu, where supporters displayed cards featuring Ceuta’s coat of arms, met with stadium applause.
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Mixed reactions across La Liga
While Real Madrid has actively participated in showing support, not all major Spanish clubs have followed suit. Barcelona, for instance, did not take part in the Ceuta initiative. However, players in other La Liga fixtures have been noted wearing the shirts as intended, highlighting a varied response across the league to the call for solidarity.
On the pitch, Real Madrid secured a 3-2 victory over Elche, with Carlos Espi netting the winner in stoppage time. Mbappe was among Madrid’s scorers, and Vinicius started the game. Representatives for the players involved in the pre-match incident have reportedly been asked for comment regarding their actions.
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