Javier Tebas criticised Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté after they failed to display a Ceuta solidarity shirt properly before Real Madrid’s 3–2 win at Elche. Mbappé and Vinícius wore theirs only up to the shoulders before removing them, while Konaté held his rather than putting it on fully.
The shirts carried the slogan “Todos somos caballas,” meaning “We are all from Ceuta.” “Caballas” is a local nickname for people from the Spanish autonomous city, so “We are all Ceutans” conveys the meaning but is not the literal wording. Players from Elche and most Real Madrid teammates displayed the message normally.
Tebas said:
“We saw three players decide not to wear it—putting it half on is the same as not wearing it… bad, bad.”
He added that the initiative had been approved by La Liga but was organised by entrepreneurs from the Valencia region, not by the league itself. Tebas described it as an institutional and humanitarian gesture rather than a political act.
The shirts were intended to express solidarity with Ceuta during a period of heightened social tension and migration-related debate. That context gave the players’ different treatment of the message greater significance, although no evidence has established that the trio intended to make a political statement.
Mbappé later said his decision was intended to show support for migrants who had died, presenting his gesture as a humanitarian choice rather than opposition to Ceuta. Real Madrid also reportedly viewed the incident as insignificant and maintained that players should not be forced to wear a particular shirt.
The supplied account’s reference to the Ultras Sur demanding apologies is not supported by the strongest sources reviewed. The reported criticism came from Miguel Ángel Montaño, president of a Real Madrid supporters’ group in Ceuta, who said supporters were puzzled and disappointed by the trio’s actions.
The sporting result added to the controversy’s visibility: Carlos Espí scored a 91st-minute winner as Real Madrid came from 2–0 down to beat Elche 3–2. But the meaning of the shirt gesture remains contested, and it should not be reported as a confirmed boycott or deliberate political protest without further statements from the players.
