Dubai: Kylian Mbappe has explained why he covered a solidarity message for Ceuta before Real Madrid’s 3-2 win over Elche, insisting that his decision was not intended to show a lack of support for the Spanish city.
Players from both teams wore shirts carrying the message “Todos somos caballas”, translated as “We are all Ceutans”, before Tuesday’s La Liga match. Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Ibrahima Konate partially covered the message before the game.
Mbappe said the decision was made by the club and that the players were originally expected to wear the shirts. However, he wanted his gesture to acknowledge migrants who had lost their lives or were living in difficult conditions.
“It was the club’s decision. The players were supposed to wear it,” Mbappe said in a recent interview with Diario AS. “I stand in total solidarity with Ceuta and with all the victims.”
The Frenchman added that he did not want his actions to be interpreted as opposition to the people of Ceuta.
“I have nothing against them and they have 100% of my support and my thoughts,” he said, while explaining that he also wanted to remember those suffering because of the migration crisis.
The controversy began after more than 70,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on July 30 and 31. At least 100 people were reported dead, while thousands remained in difficult conditions.
Mbappe said his intention was to send a message of “positivity and peace” and hoped the situation would be resolved quickly.
Real Madrid had earlier defended its players’ freedom to decide whether to participate fully in the gesture. The club has yet to publicly react to the gesture made by the three players.
