Kylian Mbappe has broken his silence on the decision to defy Real Madrid by covering up a t-shirt bearing a message of solidarity with the people of Ceuta.
Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Ibrahima Konate were the only three players to roll up the pre-game shirts, which were designed to show support for residents of the territory which is facing an unprecedented migrant crisis.
Their small act of protest was an embarrassing look for Real, and it hinted at division in the ranks as the rest of the squad were happy to participate.
Now Mbappe has spoken for the first time about his thinking and expanded on his position on the Ceuta crisis.
He told AS: ‘I want to explain this clearly so people understand. It was the club’s decision to include the jersey, to have us wear it. We players had to wear it. The first thing I want to say is that I stand in full solidarity with Ceuta and with all the victims.
‘Because before I’m a player, I’m a human being. But I also wanted to make a gesture and spare a thought for all the immigrants who have lost their lives and who are also living in harsh conditions.
Kylian Mbappe rolled up his t-shirt, partially obscuring the message of support for Ceuta
Ibrahima Konate, Vinicius Jr and Mbappe were the only three players to roll up their shirts
‘It wasn’t an easy position to take, it was difficult because in the end, people might think I’m against the people of Ceuta, but no, absolutely not.
‘I have nothing against them, and I support them 100% in my thoughts. 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 prioritize one form of suffering over another.
‘There are people who are suffering, and it breaks my heart to see that happening in the world. I’m a young man who wants the best for the world we live in.
‘I aim to send a message of positivity and peace, and I hope this situation is resolved quickly.’
The t-shirts the players wore onto the field read ‘We are all Caballas’ (the nickname given to the people of Ceuta).
Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Konate concealed that message prior to their 3-2 win over Elche on Tuesday night, causing a stir in Spain.
Earlier this summer, a state of emergency was declared when Spain faced a serious border crisis, with 80,000 migrants, mostly young Moroccan men, arriving on July 30 and 31. At least 57 people died trying to make the journey and Morocco has disputed Spanish sovereignty of the territory since independence in 1956.
The Ceuta president has said 13,000 of those migrants remain and it is still a red-hot political issue, which Real Madrid and other clubs have now waded in on.
The three Real stars who opted to defy the club have angered plenty of supporters.
Vinicius Jr (left) and Mbappe (right) showed their opposition to the message of Ceuta solidarity displayed on Real Madrid’s t-shirts
One wrote: ‘I hope they boo them until the day they leave Real Madrid, utter disgust.’
Another posted: ‘I hope Florentino fines them with 3 months’ suspension without a job or pay. That way, the nonsense would end quickly. They’re way too full of themselves.’
While a third gave his damning verdict: ‘Shame that @realmadrid allows this contempt toward our compatriots from Ceuta by these millionaires who live in luxurious gated communities with private security.’
A Moroccan player for Real Betis in Seville, Ez Abde, also wore the t-shirt before his side’s game against Villarreal and received a barrage of abuse online from his countrymen.
After the criticism of the three Real stars, the club came out and defended them, with an official saying they’d accepted Elche’s request to show such support in solidarity and wear the shirts.
Pictured: People play football at a settlement in Benitez Beach, created after the mass crossing of migrants from Morocco, in Ceuta, Spain, September 13, 2026
But the club added they respected differing opinions and gave each player the freedom to decide whether to wear it.
Barcelona opted not to wear the t-shirts for their LaLiga fixture.
The issue is a hugely sensitive one and Ceuta’s crisis has been front and centre of the political agenda in Spain since July.
Spain is preparing accommodation for up to 10,000 migrants in Ceuta and the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, has insisted the situation was not mishandled. ‘What happened is that we couldn’t cope with the influx,’ he said this week.
He added that authorities had taken in the migrants before returning the majority to Morocco, adding that nine in ten had gone back.
Sánchez said accommodation for 6,000 people would be available by the end of the week, with capacity eventually rising to 10,000.
He said the government hoped to have the situation under control by the end of the year and appealed for patience from residents of Ceuta, which has a population of around 84,000.
