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Mbappé, Vinícius and Konaté Obscure Ceuta Solidarity Shirts

Madrid, Spain

Omar Arnau Cerezo/Reuters

Omar Arnau Cerezo/Reuters

What Happened

Real Madrid players Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté rolled up and later removed pre-match T‑shirts reading "Todos somos caballas" before their LaLiga game at Elche on Sept. 15, 2026, partially obscuring a solidarity message for Ceuta. Other players wore them; the act drew swift public criticism.

What Happened

Real Madrid players Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté rolled up and later removed pre-match T‑shirts reading "Todos somos caballas" before their LaLiga game at Elche on Sept. 15, 2026, partially obscuring a solidarity message for Ceuta. Other players wore them; the act drew swift public criticism.

Where Sources Agree

  • arrows_inputSolidarity Shirt Message Obscured: Some outlets verify that Real Madrid players Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Ibrahima Konaté rolled up their solidarity t-shirts before the September 15 match against Elche, rendering the 'Todos somos caballas' message illegible, according to match footage and official club statements.
  • arrows_inputPlayers Obscure Solidarity Message: Various sources indicate that Real Madrid players Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Ibrahima Konaté obscured a solidarity message on their pre-match shirts before their game against Elche, an action the club later defended by citing the players' individual freedom of expression, according to official statements.
  • arrows_inputClub Defends Player Expression: Several outlets confirm that Real Madrid accepted Elche's request to wear solidarity shirts for Ceuta but maintained that players were given the freedom to choose whether to participate, according to Real Madrid official statements.

Where Sources Disagree

  • arrows_outputPlayers' Explanation of Solidarity Gesture: Initial reports stated the players had not publicly explained their decision to obscure the solidarity shirts. However, subsequent coverage noted that Kylian Mbappé later addressed the incident, asserting he did not want to prioritize one form of suffering over another.
  • arrows_outputMigrant Influx Estimates: Reports differ slightly on the number of migrants who entered Ceuta in July, with some sources citing over 70,000 and others estimating approximately 80,000.

Timeline

September 16, 2026

Backlash and official responses: The players' decision provoked widespread criticism and debate on September 16, with Real Madrid defending players' freedom of opinion while LaLiga president Javier Tebas and others condemned the move as inappropriate; Mbappé later issued explanations saying he stood in solidarity with Ceuta but did not want to prioritise one form of suffering over another. The episode prompted formal complaints, public condemnation from former players and sustained media scrutiny.

September 15, 2026

Late goal seals 3-2 victory: The match itself was dramatic: Real Madrid recovered from conceding an equaliser to win 3-2 at Elche, with Carlos Espi scoring the stoppage-time winner after Kylian Mbappé had been among the scorers earlier in the game. The comeback preserved Real's three points amid the pre-match controversy.

September 15, 2026

Players obscure Ceuta shirts: Before Real Madrid's LaLiga match at Elche on September 15, players from both sides wore solidarity T-shirts, but Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Jr. and Ibrahima Konaté rolled their shirts up (partially obscuring the "We are all Ceutans" message) and later removed them before the pre-match handshake. Teammates and most Elche players wore the shirts normally.

Perspectives and Debates

Summary by Ground AI

A varied selection of sources chosen by Ground to reflect the diversity of this story’s coverage.

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