A group of Real Madrid supporters has called for a public apology from Kylian Mbappe and two teammates after they did not fully wear a T-shirt intended to show support for the people of Ceuta. Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Ibrahima Konate wore the shirt partially rolled up before Madrid's 3-2 victory at Elche in La Liga on Tuesday.
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In a statement on X, the Ultras Sur group expressed that many Real Madrid supporters and Spaniards felt embarrassed by the players’ actions, labeling their conduct as "unacceptable." The group, often associated with far-right views, criticized Real Madrid President Florentino Perez for remaining silent on the matter, noted their history of conflict with him since being banned from the Santiago Bernabeu over a decade ago.
La Liga President Javier Tebas also commented on the incident, stating that wearing the T-shirt half-heartedly is equivalent to not wearing it at all. Other team members and Elche players wore the T-shirt correctly, which read "we are all Ceutans," aimed at supporting the residents of Ceuta who are currently facing a migration crisis.
Local residents have reported increased numbers of migrants from Morocco camping on beaches and sleeping in the streets, creating a humanitarian crisis in the city. The Moroccan Association for Human Rights estimates at least 141 people died while attempting the crossing in July.
Mbappe articulated his intentions for wearing the shirt, expressing solidarity with the Ceutan victims. He stated to Spanish daily AS, "The first thing I want to say is that I have complete solidarity with Ceuta and all the victims. 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."
On July 30 and 31, tens of thousands of migrants arrived in Ceuta, with most returning shortly after, but several thousand remained, leading to rising tensions with local residents.