Kylian Mbappe explains Ceuta shirt gesture after backlash

Kylian Mbappe has clarified his position after criticism over a pre-match gesture linked to the migration crisis in Ceuta. The France captain said he wanted to make clear that concealing part of the message was not intended as opposition to the enclave’s residents or to those affected there.

Before Real Madrid’s game at Elche on Tuesday, players from both teams entered wearing shirts carrying a message supporting Ceuta. Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Ibrahima Konate wore theirs pulled up over their chests, leaving the slogan largely hidden. The initiative had the backing of La Liga and a Valencian employers’ association, and was adopted by several clubs during the week.

The gesture drew strong criticism in Spain, including from La Liga president Javier Tebas, who argued that partially displaying the slogan was effectively the same as not wearing it. Mbappe responded by expressing solidarity with Ceuta and its victims while also highlighting migrants who have died or continue to live in difficult conditions.

Mbappe said he did not want one group’s suffering to take precedence over another’s. He described his decision as a human response rather than a political statement, and said he hoped the crisis would be resolved quickly. His explanation was intended to remove any ambiguity and frame the gesture as a call for peace and compassion.