Mbappé and Ceuta: Controversy over a Jersey

Three Real Madrid players concealed a message of support for the Spanish enclave, reigniting debate over an issue that has strained Spain's relations with Morocco.

Kylian Mbappe with the Ceuta solidarity T-shirt.

The Ceuta solidarity T-shirt pulled up over Kylian Mbappe’s torso before Real Madrid’s match against Elche. Photo: Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images

On Tuesday 15 September, before kickoff of the La Liga match between Elche and Real Madrid, players Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté chose not to display the message of support for Ceuta worn by their teammates. The scene lasted only a few seconds, but it immediately sparked controversy in Spain. The three players had indeed put on the white jersey bearing the inscription “Todos somos caballas” (“We are all from Ceuta”), but had pulled it up to their chests, making the slogan difficult to read. Mbappé and Vinícius then removed their jerseys before the ceremonial salute, while their teammates and the Elche players kept theirs on.

An Initiative Supported by Real Madrid

The incident has drawn even more attention because Mbappé has been one of Real Madrid’s leading figures since the summer of 2024. The club had agreed to participate in the initiative, organized as part of the sixth matchday of La Liga, during which several teams were to show their solidarity with the people of Ceuta. According to the Spanish press, however, Real Madrid had given its players the freedom to choose whether or not to wear the jersey.

The message referred to the “caballas”, the nickname given to the residents of Ceuta. The initiative came in the wake of the migration crisis on 30 July and 31 July, when tens of thousands of people crossed the border illegally from Morocco.

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The decision by the three players stands in stark contrast to the club’s stance just a few days earlier. On 8 September, during the Champions League match against Inter Milan, the Grada Fans group had organized a tribute to Ceuta in the south stand of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. The supporters had unfurled thousands of cardboard cutouts forming the coat of arms of the autonomous city, a gesture to which the entire stadium responded with a standing ovation.

Fans of Real Madrid show their support during the tribute to Ceuta. Photo: Maria Jimenez/Real Madrid via Getty Images

A New Sensitive Issue in Spanish Football

The controversy comes at a particularly sensitive time. The summer crisis has reignited tensions surrounding Ceuta, a Spanish city located on the North African coast whose sovereignty is contested by Morocco.

Spanish football has found itself at the center of this movement on several occasions. In August, during the match between AD Ceuta and Las Palmas, players from both teams took the field wearing jerseys bearing the slogan “Ceuta no se vende, Ceuta se defiende” (“Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta defends itself”). Las Palmas had initially announced that it would not participate in the initiative for fear of reprisals from Morocco, but ultimately decided to wear the jerseys.

A few weeks later, a less contentious initiative, with the slogan “Todos somos caballas”, was supported by several La Liga clubs, including Villarreal and Betis.

The Ez Abde Precedent

Perhaps the most revealing episode involves Ez Abde, the winger for Betis. Born in Morocco, Abde arrived in Spain at the age of seven. The Moroccan international had also worn the “Todos somos caballas” jersey before the match against Villarreal.

His gesture drew a wave of criticism on social media from Moroccan users, with some accusing him of betraying his country. Abde responded that the jersey “at no time” had a political purpose and was not meant to be disrespectful toward Moroccans. He stated that it was a gesture of solidarity intended to support the residents of Ceuta, though he did not offer an apology. Betis and LaLiga subsequently voiced their support for him.

The controversy was not limited to soccer, however. As early as August, Spanish singers, comedians and cultural figures had publicly posted messages of support for the residents of Ceuta, after the city’s patron saint festivities had been suspended due to the crisis.

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Mbappé, Vinícius and Konaté, for their part, have offered no public explanation for their actions.

Mbappé’s decision comes at a time when the Ceuta issue directly affects relations between Spain and Morocco, as well as particularly sensitive questions of identity and belonging. For a global star like Mbappé, whose audience extends far beyond Spain, the decision to display such a symbolic message – or not – can affect his public image.

Should this be interpreted as a desire to avoid taking a stance on an issue likely to divide part of his audience? No statement from the player allows a definitive conclusion at this stage. But the reaction in Morocco to Ez Abde’s opposite gesture shows just how much Ceuta has become a battleground where neutrality is increasingly difficult to maintain.