Real Madrid players Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté face backlash in Spain after they partially concealed a pro-Ceuta solidarity message on T-shirts ahead of a LaLiga match against Elche. Multiple outlets report that cameras caught the trio holding the shirts differently or covering parts of the wording rather than displaying the full slogan during pre-match moments.
The shirts were presented as part of a LaLiga-supported initiative expressing solidarity with residents of Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city in North Africa. Sources describe the slogan as “Todos somos caballas” (“We are all Caballas”), and note that most other Real Madrid players wore the shirts fully. Accounts differ on details—some describe the shirts being rolled or covered, and some say Mbappé and Vinícius removed them before the traditional handshake, while Konaté showed more concealment.
Outlets also place the incident in the wider context of heightened sensitivity around migration and Ceuta’s migrant crisis earlier this year, alongside debate over Spain’s relationship with Morocco. Several reports add that Real Madrid and/or the club’s internal stance allowed players some individual discretion about whether to wear the message, while the public reaction and political commentary remain divided.
