Kylian Mbappe has explained why he and two Real Madrid teammates did not fully display a solidarity shirt supporting the people of Ceuta before their La Liga match against Elche.
Real Madrid and Elche players were given shirts carrying the message “Todos somos caballas”, or “We are all Caballas”, ahead of Tuesday’s match. Caballas is a nickname for people from Ceuta, the Spanish territory on the North African coast.
While most players wore the shirts as intended, Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Ibrahima Konate only partially put them on before removing them as they entered the pitch.
The gesture drew attention and prompted questions about why the three players had chosen not to display the full message.
Mbappe later explained that his decision was not intended as a rejection of the people of Ceuta. He said he stood in solidarity with those affected there but also wanted to acknowledge migrants who have suffered or lost their lives.
The French forward said he did not want his actions to be interpreted as being against Ceuta or its residents. Instead, he said he wanted to avoid prioritising one group’s suffering over another.
The shirts were introduced as part of a solidarity initiative promoted by Elche and supported by Real Madrid. The message came amid renewed attention on migration after more than 70,000 irregular crossings from Morocco into Ceuta were recorded in July.
Real Madrid said the club respected the individual views of its players. The club had agreed to participate in the initiative while allowing players to decide how they wished to respond.
Mbappe said the situation had been difficult because he understood that his actions could be misunderstood. He stressed that his intention was to express concern for people facing difficult circumstances rather than make a political statement.
The episode has also generated debate in Spain over the relationship between sporting events, social causes and migration issues.
Moroccan international Ez Abde, who plays for Real Betis, had also faced criticism on social media after wearing the shirt during an earlier match. He said his decision was intended as support for a community and a humanitarian cause.
Mbappe said he hoped the situation surrounding Ceuta and migration could be resolved quickly and that his broader message was one of peace and solidarity with people experiencing hardship.
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