Real Madrid players Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Ibrahima Konate attracted attention before the club’s match against Elche.
The three players did not fully show a shirt with a message of support for Ceuta.
Real Madrid and Elche players wore the shirts before their La Liga game on Tuesday. The shirts carried the message “Todos somos caballas.”
The Spanish phrase means “We are all Caballas.” Caballas is a name used for people from Ceuta.
Why Real Madrid Wore the Shirts
The shirts were part of a show of support for Ceuta.
Ceuta is a Spanish city on the North African coast. It shares a border with Morocco.
The city faced a major migration crisis earlier this year. A large number of migrants arrived in Ceuta from Morocco in July.
The shirt campaign aimed to show support for the people of Ceuta.
Real Madrid agreed to take part in the campaign. Its players wore the shirts before the match against Elche.
Mbappe, Vinicius and Konate Cover the Message
Mbappe and Vinicius were seen wearing their shirts in a way that covered part of the message.
Konate also did not show the full slogan.
The move quickly attracted attention on social media and in Spanish media reports.
However, the players have not given a public explanation for their decision.
There is also no confirmed statement from the players about their personal views on the message.
Real Madrid Responds
Real Madrid has defended the players’ freedom to make their own choice.
The club supports the campaign but also respects individual decisions by its players.
This has led to discussion about the role of footballers in social issues.
Players often take part in campaigns organised by their clubs. However, some may choose not to take part in every public gesture.
Real Madrid Beat Elche
The incident happened before Real Madrid’s La Liga match against Elche.
Real Madrid later won the match 3–2.
The result ended the night on the pitch, but the shirt incident continued to attract attention.
The situation has also raised questions about how football clubs handle messages linked to social issues, migration and national identity.
For now, the reasons behind the actions of Mbappe, Vinicius and Konate remain unclear because none of the three players has publicly explained the decision.