After the criticism, Mbappé clarifies his stance on the Ceuta jersey incident
Real Madrid’s French star Kylian Mbappé said on Wednesday that he wanted to make a gesture of support for migrants who lost their lives, by not wearing the shirt supporting the residents of Ceuta in the usual manner before his team’s victory over Elche in the Spanish football league on Tuesday.
Mbappé, Brazilian Vinícius Júnior, and fellow Frenchman Ibrahima Konaté faced criticism, including from Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish football league “La Liga,” for wearing the shirt partially folded.
The rest of the Real Madrid players and Elche’s squad wore a shirt bearing the phrase “We are all from Ceuta” in the usual manner, as a message of support for the residents of the Spanish enclave in North Africa, which is facing a migration crisis.
Residents of Ceuta complained that migrants from Morocco were camping on the beaches and sleeping in the streets, as the city became burdened by a humanitarian crisis. Dozens of people died while attempting to cross in July.
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights, a non-governmental organization, estimates the number of deaths at no fewer than 141.
Mbappé told the Spanish newspaper “As,” “The first thing I want to say is that I express my full solidarity with Ceuta and all the victims, because before being a player, I am a human being.”
He added: “But I also wanted to make a gesture and express my thoughts toward all the migrants who lost their lives and who are also living in difficult conditions.”
Tens of thousands of migrants arrived in Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31, but most returned within hours of their arrival, while several thousand remained in the Spanish enclave.
Mbappé clarified that he intended to send a “message of peace,” reaffirming that he did not intend any disrespect toward the residents of Ceuta with this gesture.
He continued: “It was not an easy position, it was difficult, because people might ultimately think that I am against the residents of Ceuta, but no, absolutely not.”
He added: “I hold nothing against them, and I support them 100%. But I also wanted to think about all the people who are suffering, because in the end I am a human being, and I do not want to prioritize one suffering over another.”
Earlier on Wednesday, La Liga president Tebas criticized Mbappé, Vinícius, and Konaté for not properly wearing the shirt supporting the residents of Ceuta.
Tebas told journalists, “We saw three players decide not to wear it. Wearing it half-visible is equivalent to not wearing it. It is bad, bad.”
The step of teams wearing these shirts was part of an initiative launched by a group of businessmen in the Valencia region.
Tebas explained that the initiative had been approved, but it was not organized by La Liga, emphasizing that it is “not a political act in any way.”
Spanish league teams playing matches not involving clubs from the Valencia region did not wear this shirt.
Miguel Ángel Montano, president of the Real Madrid fans’ association in Ceuta, said he felt disappointed by the decision of the three players not to wear the shirts correctly.
Villarreal hosted Real Betis on Monday, and players from both teams wore the shirts supporting Ceuta. Levante players also wore the shirt before their match against defending champions Barcelona on Sunday, but the Catalan team chose not to wear it.
Real Betis winger and Moroccan national team player Abdessamad Zouhri defended himself on social media on Tuesday after facing criticism for wearing the shirt.
Zouhri wrote in an Instagram post, “I want to clarify one thing: the shirt supporting the residents of Ceuta was not used at any moment for a political purpose or out of disdain for my people, the Moroccan people.”
