Mbappé and Vinícius Jr Roll Up Ceuta Pre-Game Shirts, Cutting Off 'We Are All Caballas' Message

Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr drew attention during Real Madrid's LaLiga clash with Elche after rolling up their pre‑game shirts to obscure a message of solidarity with Ceuta. A viral video showed the two forwards hitching their tees midway up their torsos, cutting off the slogan 'Todos somos caballas'—translated as 'We are all Caballas', a reference to residents of the Spanish exclave.

The gesture sparked debate online, with fans questioning why the players concealed the wording. Neither Mbappé nor Vinícius Jr has explained their actions, and Real Madrid has not commented beyond its official statement on the initiative.

Shirt Sparks Controversy

The slogan was intended to highlight Ceuta's ongoing migration crisis. A supermajority of the undocumented arrivals returned to Morocco within the day or the next few days. However, thousands still remain, with the Spanish government estimating that around 8,000 migrants remained in Ceuta in August.

During the LaLiga match between Real Madrid and Elche, all the players went onto the pitch at Manuel Martínez Valero Stadium in a white pre-game shirt with what seemed like an innocuous message on the front. The back featured the name Ceuta along with the Spanish coat of arms.

Mbappé and Vini Jr. had their T-shirts hitched midway up their torsos, concealing the full message. Another video showed Ibrahima Konaté wearing the shirt the same way—Mbappé and Vini Jr. entered the pitch last.

Mbappé and Vini Jr. immediately removed the shirt once the full team entrance was done and right before they shook hands with the other team. None of the three players has issued a statement explaining how they wore the pre-game shirt, at the time of this writing.

Business Group Explains Initiative

The Asociación Valenciana de Empresarios (AVE) initiated the pre-game T-shirt practice as a way of showing solidarity to Ceuta residents amid the ongoing migration issue. On its website, the organisation of entrepreneurs explained the supposedly non-controversial shirt: 'An initiative to support citizens focused on conveying a message of solidarity, closeness and territorial and social cohesion in Spain.'

'As business owners and as Spanish citizens, we do not want to remain on the sidelines, especially considering the impact the situation is having on the economy, employment in the region and society as a whole,' AVE also stated.

The initiative came as Ceuta continued to deal with the aftermath of the mass border crossing in July, which placed additional pressure on the Spanish exclave's reception and accommodation facilities. The situation also became a politically sensitive issue, with the number of people who remained in the territory becoming a point of discussion between Spanish and local authorities.

On its website, Real Madrid released a statement about the pre-game shirt: 'Before the start of the match between Elche and Real Madrid, the players of both teams took to the pitch at Manuel Martínez Valero Stadium wearing shirts that read "Todos somos caballas" as a show of solidarity with Ceuta.'

Real Madrid Triumphs

While the pre-game shirts caused a stir online, it didn't deter Real Madrid from overcoming Elche, 3-2. The LaLiga giants squandered a 2-0 lead during halftime—an own goal from Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro came in the 25th minute, while Mbappé scored in the 33rd.

Elche staged a dramatic comeback after halftime, with Abiel Osorio scoring in the 71st minute and Fer Niño bringing the equaliser in the 83rd. But Carlos Espí ultimately won it for Los Blancos in stoppage time.