Real Madrid stars Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior, and Ibrahima Konaté have come under fire, including from La Liga president Javier Tebas, due to their decision to wear a t-shirt partially rolled up prior to their La Liga victory over Elche on Tuesday. This garment, emblazoned with the phrase "We are all Ceutans," was intended to convey a message of solidarity with the inhabitants of Ceuta, a Spanish territory in North Africa currently grappling with a significant migration crisis.
The situation in Ceuta has become increasingly dire, with local residents expressing frustration over migrants from Morocco camping on beaches and sleeping on the streets, leading to an overwhelming humanitarian crisis. Tragically, numerous individuals lost their lives attempting to cross the perilous waters in July, with the Moroccan Association for Human Rights estimating the death toll to be at least 141.
Kylian Mbappé spoke to Spanish daily AS, stating, "The first thing I want to say is that I have complete solidarity with Ceuta and all the victims, because before being a player, I am human. But I also wanted to make a gesture and express my thoughts for all the immigrants who have lost their lives and who are also living in difficult conditions." He emphasized that his intention was to send a "message of peace" and clarified that he did not mean to disrespect the residents of Ceuta.
In late July, tens of thousands of migrants made their way to Ceuta from Morocco, with most returning shortly after their arrival, yet several thousand remained. Mbappé further elaborated that he aimed to consider the suffering of all individuals, stating, "It wasn't an easy position, a difficult one, 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 percent. But I also wanted to think about all the people who are suffering, because ultimately I'm human, and I don't want to prioritize suffering."
Tebas's Criticism
In response to the players' actions, Javier Tebas expressed disappointment, asserting that wearing the t-shirt in a rolled-up manner equated to refusing to wear it at all. "We saw three players decide not to wear it -- putting it half on is the same as not wearing it... bad, bad," he remarked to reporters. The initiative for the teams to don these shirts originated from a group of entrepreneurs in the Valencia region, and while Tebas confirmed that it had been approved, he clarified that it was not organized by La Liga and did not represent any political motives.
In contrast to the actions of the Real Madrid trio, players from Villarreal and Real Betis fully embraced the initiative, wearing the shirts in support of Ceuta. Miguel Angel Montano, president of Real Madrid's Ceuta fan club, expressed his disappointment regarding the trio's decision to not properly display the t-shirt's message, stating, "We were very happy to see (players) wearing the t-shirts, because we need support, but we were baffled when we saw that these three players covered up the message." Meanwhile, Moroccan winger Abde Ezzalzouli defended himself on social media after facing criticism for his participation, clarifying, "At no point was the t-shirt referring to the people of Ceuta used with a political objective or out of contempt for my people, the Moroccan people." He described the gesture as one of social support for the city's population, regardless of nationality.
As reported by france24.com.
