Why Kylian Mbappe Risked the Wrath of Spain With T-Shirt Protest

Earlier this year, when Kylian Mbappé was asked if he had ever considered becoming the President of France, the national team captain laughed. “No,” he confirmed. “I’m already hated enough as it is.”

Despite this attempt to distance himself from the world of diplomacy, the very act of presenting oneself as apolitical could be viewed as a political move. Mbappé duly found himself pulled between both sides of a contentious divide this week by simply trying not to take a side.

Before Real Madrid’s victory over Elche on Tuesday night, all players were obliged to wear a T-shirt emblazoned with the words, “We are all caballas” (the nickname for residents of Ceuta) as a show of support for the city of Ceuta, a Spanish exclave in North Africa which is currently going through a crisis as locals clash with thousands of foreign arrivals.

Mbappé, along with his teammates Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté, deliberately refused to fully unfurl the message, sparking outrage across the country.

As Mbappé would sagely explain in an interview with AS after the initial backlash, he did not want to “prioritize one person’s suffering over another’s.”

What Is Happening in Ceuta?

Across July 30–31 of this summer, at least 72,000 migrants made the short trip across the border at the northern tip of Morocco to Ceuta, home to around 84,000 residents. Figures cited by the city’s mayor report that at least 100 people died during the crossing, many of whom swam around a border fence.

The vast majority of these arrivals peacefully and swiftly returned to Morocco but thousands still remain in the coastal town. There have been reports of violent clashes between locals, some of whom were accused of preventing Red Cross personnel from distributing supplies in the migrant camps, which consist of large proportions of children.

It has become a deeply divisive issue across the nation. “The dignity of Spain is a stake right now in Ceuta,” the exclave’s conservative mayor Juan Jesús Vivas said earlier this summer.

Mbappe: ‘I Have Nothing Against Ceuta’

Everything about Mbappé’s public persona is carefully managed. This is a character who refused to do a KFC sponsorship with the rest of the France national team to preserve his individual reputation. He delivered a carefully worded explanation for his actions.

“I want to explain this clearly so people understand,” Mbappé outlined. “It was a decision made by the clubs to include the shirt—to wear the shirt. We players were required to wear it.

“The first thing I want to say is that I stand in full solidarity with Ceuta and all the victims. Because before being a player, I am a human being. But I also wanted to acknowledge and show support for all the migrants who have lost their lives and those living in harsh conditions.”

“It wasn’t an easy position—it was difficult—because people might think I’m against the people of Ceuta, but no, absolutely not. I have nothing against them, and I support them 100% in my thoughts.

“But I also wanted to acknowledge everyone who is suffering; ultimately, I am human, and I don’t want to prioritize one person’s suffering over another’s.

“There are people suffering, and it saddens me deeply to see that in the world. I am someone who wants the best for the world we live in. I aim to send a message of positivity and peace, and I hope this is resolved quickly.”