Mbappe criticized for not wanting to participate in a political action
"Real" players were asked to enter the pitch wearing T-shirts in support of the residents of Ceuta. Most did so – but some hid the inscriptions and quickly took the clothing off. Mbappe said that both the people of Ceuta and the migrants must be supported.
Mbappe criticized for not wanting to participate in a political campaign
On the evening of September 15, another match took place as part of the 6th round of the Spanish La Liga — Elche hosted Real Madrid. Before taking the field, the players were distributed T-shirts with the inscription Todos somos caballas, meaning "We are all mackerels" (as the residents of Ceuta call themselves), on the chest. The purpose of this campaign was to support the population of the Spanish exclave, which is facing a large-scale crisis due to the influx of migrants from Morocco.
Jose Mourinho reacted to this with irony, shaking his head and walking away. When a Real Madrid technical staff member started distributing the T-shirts, Kylian Mbappe pushed him away and tried to drive him off. Vinicius also discussed this issue with Camavinga while covering his mouth with his hands.
In the end, team captain Fede Valverde intervened in the situation, managed to convince everyone, and everyone took the field wearing the T-shirts. However, three players — Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius (who were the last to put them on), and Ibrahima Konate — wore the T-shirts only halfway so that the inscriptions were not fully visible, and did not adjust them until the end. Mbappe and Vinicius took off the T-shirts immediately after the photo session.
When asked for a comment about this after the game, Mbappe said he stands in solidarity not only with the residents of Ceuta, but also with the migrants who have died or are forced to live in terrible conditions. "I express my solidarity with Ceuta and all the victims [...] Because I am not just a football player, first of all, I am a human being," said the Real Madrid forward.
His father is Moroccan, and Yamal could also have played for the Morocco national team, but in the end chose Spain.
The actions of Mbappe, Konate, and Vinicius caused major objections from politicians in Spain and France. Conservative and far-right parties criticized the players' actions, assessing them as disrespect towards the Spanish people and Europe as a whole. In addition, right-wing fans, including a group of such fans of Real Madrid, are demanding an apology from the players.