Real Madrid stars Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté have drawn criticism after partially hiding shirts carrying a message of solidarity with Ceuta before their 3-2 La Liga win over Elche on Tuesday.
Players from both teams entered the Martínez Valero pitch wearing white shirts bearing the slogan “Todos somos caballas”, meaning “We are all Ceutans”, in a show of support for the Spanish territory following a recent migrant crisis.
However, Mbappé, Vinícius and Konaté did not display the message in full. Mbappé and Vinícius rolled up the shirts and removed them before the pre-match handshake, while Konaté carried his rather than wearing it fully.
? Vinicius, Mbappé y Konaté no enseñan el mensaje de ánimo a Ceuta.
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) September 15, 2026
? Ambos futbolistas se colocaron mal la camiseta sin que se vea el 'Todos somos Caballas'. pic.twitter.com/XkrhUDS8XQ
The move sparked criticism from La Liga president Javier Tebas, who said the campaign was not political and that players were expected to participate in the league-approved initiative.
Real Madrid later defended the players’ freedom to decide whether to fully display the message, while the club said it supported the initiative itself.
The controversy came against the backdrop of a major migrant influx into Ceuta from Morocco in July, when more than 70,000 people entered the territory over a short period, according to reports.
Following the match, Mbappé explained his decision in an interview with AS, saying he wanted to show solidarity with the people of Ceuta while also acknowledging migrants who had lost their lives or were suffering.
“I stand in complete solidarity with Ceuta and with all the victims,” Mbappé said.
“But I also wanted to spare a thought for all the migrants who have lost their lives and who are also facing harsh conditions.”
Mbappé said he did not want his decision to be interpreted as opposition to the people of Ceuta.
“I have nothing against them and I support them 100% in my thoughts,” he said. “But I also wanted to spare a thought for all the people who are suffering, because at the end of the day I’m human and I don’t want to prioritise one form of suffering over another.”
The shirt initiative was also observed by several other La Liga clubs, although Barcelona did not take part.
Real Madrid went on to win the match 3-2, with Mbappé among the scorers