Real Madrid back Mbappe and Vinicius after Ceuta solidarity shirt snub in five-goal thriller

Real Madrid have backed Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr after the two forwards covered up t-shirts displaying solidarity with the people of Ceuta ahead of Tuesday’s La Liga match against Elche — a game the hosts eventually won 3-2 through a stoppage-time Carlos Espi tap-in.

Both squads entered the pitch wearing shirts bearing the slogan “Todos somos caballas” (“We are all mackerels”), a reference to a nickname for inhabitants of the Spanish territory of Ceuta. Mbappe and Vinicius hitched their shirts to chest level, obscuring the message, before removing them entirely as they left the tunnel. Teammate Ibrahima Konate chose to carry his shirt in his hands rather than wear it.

A Real Madrid spokesperson told Reuters that while the club had agreed to Elche’s request to wear the shirts in a show of solidarity, they respect individual opinions and gave players the freedom to decide whether to participate.

The gesture follows more than 70,000 irregular crossings into Ceuta from Morocco recorded during July, which sparked solidarity movements across Spain. The shirt initiative was backed by the Valencian Business Association, though Barcelona declined to wear the tops during Sunday’s fixture against Levante.

The controversy extended beyond the Bernabéu. On Monday, Moroccan international Ez Abde was targeted with abusive social media posts after wearing the shirt ahead of Real Betis’ game against Villarreal. Abde issued a statement saying he would not apologise, explaining the message supported a community and social cause rather than carrying political intent.

Real Madrid had also staged a tifo display in their supporters’ section during last Tuesday’s Champions League match against Inter Milan, with fans holding up placards depicting the Ceuta flag.

On the pitch, the match itself produced a dramatic finish. Real moved into a two-goal lead through a Matias Dituro own goal and a strike from Mbappe, and appeared to be coasting. Elche pulled level with seven minutes remaining, however, through goals from Abiel Osorio and Fer Nino. It was Espi who ultimately settled the contest, tapping home after an unselfish pass from Mbappe to hand Real Madrid all three points.