A controversial scene featuring Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Ibrahima Konaté sparked outrage in Spain before the match that Real Madrid played against Elche, when the three players avoided displaying a shirt worn by all their teammates to express solidarity with the population invaded by Moroccans in Ceuta.
Players from both teams took to the field wearing a white shirt that had the slogan "We are all caballas" on the front, referring to the popular demonym of the inhabitants of the Spanish autonomous city. The initiative came after the massive influx of migrants from Morocco recorded at the end of July.
Both footballers refused to support Ceuta
However, cameras captured that Mbappé, Vinícius, and Konaté were wearing the shirt rolled up practically to their chests, preventing the complete message printed on the shirts from being read.
The difference compared to the other players was very visible during the teams' entrance onto the field. While their Real Madrid teammates and the Elche players showed their respect and displayed the shirt, the three members of Madrid appeared with the bottom part rolled up.
In the case of Vinícius and Mbappé, both also took off the shirt before the ceremonial greeting between the teams, while many of the other players continued to wear it during that moment. Konaté also kept the shirt in a way that partially concealed the message.
Ez Abde, Moroccan footballer wearing the jersey.
So far, no public explanation has emerged from the three players regarding the reasons for their hostile behavior towards the victims. Hours earlier, Ez Abde, the Moroccan player from Betis, had publicly defended his decision to participate in a similar gesture, stating that his intention was solely to show solidarity with the city's inhabitants and not to make a statement against Morocco.
The scene involving the Real Madrid stars thus became one of the most commented images of the LaLiga day and the day in a shocked Spain, amid a campaign aimed at showing support for the inhabitants of Ceuta following the recent migration crisis.
