Posted by Chinenye on Thu 17th Sep, 2026 - tori.ng
Kylian Mbappe made a quiet statement before Real Madrid played Elche by partly covering a message on his shirt.
(Kylian Mbappe Photo Credit: Planet Sport)
Kylian Mbappe has affirmed his support for both Ceuta and migrants after partially hiding a pre-match shirt backing the Spanish enclave.
Before Tuesday's match at Elche, Real Madrid players received shirts reading "We are all Caballas," a reference to Ceuta's people.
Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Ibrahima Konate rolled up their shirts to obscure the message.
The forward explained that before being a player, he is a human being who stands with Ceuta and all victims.
But he also wanted to acknowledge the migrant suffering, particularly after more than 100 people died crossing from Morocco into Ceuta in July with thousands remaining trapped in the territory.
Mbappe said he supports Ceuta completely and harbours no ill will toward its people, yet could not ignore the pain of migrants living in harsh conditions.
He stressed the importance of not prioritising one form of suffering over another.
As a young man concerned about the world, he said his gesture aimed to send a message of positivity and peace, hoping the situation resolves quickly.
The partial covering of the shirt highlighted differing approaches among clubs and players to the Ceuta campaign.
While Barcelona did not participate, players at other La Liga matches wore the shirts as intended.
Real Madrid had previously shown support for Ceuta when supporters displayed the enclave's coat of arms during their September Champions League match against Inter Milan, drawing a stadium-wide round of applause.