Kylian Mbappé is facing renewed backlash from French far-right political figures after the Real Madrid forward altered a pre-match jersey designed to show solidarity with the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The controversy erupted following Real Madrid’s away fixture against Elche in the Spanish league, where players walked onto the pitch wearing shirts bearing the slogan “Todos somos Caballas” — a local nickname for the residents of Ceuta — following a sharp spike in migration tensions across the Strait of Gibraltar.
According to reports from RMC Sport, Mbappé alongside fellow Frenchman and Real Madrid teammate Ibrahima Konaté, as well as Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, rolled up or adjusted their warm-up shirts to obscure the printed message. The gesture quickly drew fire from politicians belonging to the Rassemblement national (RN) party in France, who seized on the incident during an active political climate.
Political Fallout and RN Reactions
Elected officials from the French far-right criticized the players immediately on social media and television broadcasts. Kévin Mauvieux, a Rassemblement national deputy for the Eure department, wrote on social platforms that “if shame had a face, it would be that of Kylian Mbappé,” as noted by RMC Sport. Julien Odoul, the party’s spokesperson, labeled the behavior of Mbappé and Konaté as “lamentable and disrespectful toward the suffering of the inhabitants of Ceuta” during an appearance covered by La Chaîne Parlementaire (LCP).
Additional criticism came from European Parliament member Marion Maréchal, who questioned why the players felt solidarity with global causes rather than European ones, calling the decision shameful in statements highlighted by RMC Sport. Jérôme Buisson, a deputy for the Ain department, told LCP that potential whistles from Spanish supporters directed at the French star would be deserved, accusing him of disrespecting his club and adopted country.
Mbappé’s Explanation and the Context of Ceuta
Addressing the controversy in an interview with the sports daily AS, Kylian Mbappé defended his actions by stating his universal solidarity with victims. “I have all my solidarity towards Ceuta and all the victims. Because before being a player, I am a human being. (…) I do not want to establish a priority in suffering,” Mbappé explained, adding that he wanted to acknowledge all migrants who have lost their lives, as reported by RMC Sport.
The underlying tensions stem from events at the end of July, when more than 70,000 individuals crossed the Spanish-Moroccan border into Ceuta following the spread of false information online. While the majority of unauthorized entrants were subsequently returned or expelled, the incident triggered significant diplomatic friction. According to figures cited from the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) via RMC Sport, 141 individuals died while attempting to reach the Spanish enclave.
Club Stances and Broader Precedent
Inside Spanish football, reactions varied. According to reporting from L’Équipe cited by LCP, Real Madrid communicated privately that individual players held the freedom to choose whether or not to wear the specialized T-shirt based on personal sensitivity. Similarly, players for FC Barcelona opted not to wear the shirt during their weekend fixture, with the Catalan club choosing to avoid association with a politically charged subject.
A source close to the Real Madrid players told Le Monde (as noted by LCP) that the decision to adjust the jerseys was made just minutes before kickoff under the philosophy that “the best thing in football is not to do politics.”
This episode marks another chapter in the strained relationship between Mbappé and France’s nationalist political figures. During the 2024 legislative elections, the French national team captain publicly urged younger voters to participate at the ballot box, warning that extremist political factions were close to acquiring power.
