On Tuesday, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté rolled up their pre‑match T‑shirts at Elche’s Martínez Valero stadium, obscuring a slogan that read “Todos somos caballas” – meaning “We are all Ceutans.” The message, issued by a group of Valencia entrepreneurs and approved by La Liga, aimed to show solidarity with the Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast that has faced a severe migration crisis.
While most players on both teams wore the shirts fully, the three French‑Brazilian stars had theirs rolled to chest height and later removed them before the pre‑match handshake, leaving their teammates and the Elche squad to continue wearing the shirts through the formalities. The move drew criticism from La Liga president Javier Tebas, who said that half‑wearing the shirt was “the same as not wearing it… bad, bad.” Tebas also clarified that the initiative was not a political act.
Ceuta, which borders Morocco and is separated from mainland Spain by the Strait of Gibraltar, has seen a surge of migrants – over 72,000 crossed from Morocco in late July, with at least 100 deaths during the crossings. Thousands remain in makeshift camps, fueling unrest and safety concerns among locals.
Real Madrid’s support for Ceuta is not new; a week earlier the club’s fans displayed the city’s coat of arms during a Champions League match against Inter Milan. The Elche game ended 3‑2 in favour of Madrid, with Mbappé scoring and Konaté and Vinícius starting the match.
Barcelona did not participate in the Ceuta initiative, while other La Liga clubs wore the shirts as intended. The episode highlights differing approaches among clubs and players to the campaign.
