Before Tuesday's La Liga match at the Martinez Valero stadium, players from both Real Madrid and Elche walked onto the pitch wearing white T-shirts bearing the message "Todos somos caballas," meaning "We are all Ceutans," alongside references to Ceuta, the Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast.
Most players wore the shirts as intended, but Mbappé, Vinícius and Konaté rolled theirs up to around chest height, covering part of the slogan. Mbappé and Vinícius later removed their shirts before the pre-match handshake, while Konaté kept his on for longer. Their teammates and the Elche players continued wearing the shirts during the pre-match formalities.
The actions drew criticism from La Liga president Javier Tebas, who said that partially wearing the shirt was effectively the same as refusing to wear it. Tebas confirmed that the initiative had been approved by La Liga and said it was not intended to be a political act. The campaign was reportedly launched by a group of entrepreneurs from the Valencia region.
The gesture comes amid continued attention on Ceuta following a major migration crisis in the Spanish territory. At least 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta over 30 and 31 July, with many attempting to swim around a border fence. According to figures from Ceuta's mayor, at least 100 people died during the crossing.
Although most migrants later returned, thousands remained in makeshift camps or on streets and beaches, contributing to unrest in the city. Some local residents have raised safety concerns, while there have also been incidents involving destroyed shelters and disruptions to aid deliveries.
Real Madrid have previously shown support for Ceuta. During their Champions League match against Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabéu on 8 September, supporters in the south stand displayed cards featuring Ceuta's coat of arms, while the rest of the stadium joined the tribute with applause.
Barcelona did not participate in the latest initiative, while players at several other La Liga matches wore the shirts as intended.
The controversy came before a dramatic match in which Real Madrid surrendered a two-goal lead before eventually beating Elche 3-2. Mbappé scored for Madrid, while Konaté and Vinícius also started the game.
