Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Ibrahima Konate rolled up their pre-game T-shirts on Tuesday, obscuring a message of support for the people of Ceuta ahead of Real Madrid's match at Elche. The shirts, worn by players from both teams, carried the slogan "Todos somos caballas" – translated as "We are all Ceutans" – along with references to the Spanish autonomous city.
While most players wore the shirts fully, Mbappe, Vinicius, and Konate had theirs rolled up to around chest height. Mbappe and Vinicius then removed their shirts before the pre-match handshake, while Konate kept his on for longer. Their teammates and the Elche players continued to wear the shirts through the pre-match formalities.
This pre-match gesture follows a wider show of support for Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city bordering Morocco, after a major migration crisis in July. At least 72,000 migrants reportedly crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July, with at least 100 people dying during the crossing, according to Ceuta's mayor. As many as 5,000 migrants reportedly remain in makeshift camps or are sleeping on the city's streets and beaches.
Real Madrid had previously shown support for Ceuta before their Champions League meeting with Inter Milan on 8 September, when supporters displayed cards featuring the city's coat of arms. The recent episode also highlighted differing approaches, with Barcelona not participating in the initiative, while players in other La Liga fixtures wore the shirts as intended.