Mbappé explains why he covered part of Ceuta support message on his jersey

The image repeated itself in the tunnel outside the locker rooms and within minutes it had spread across social media: three Real Madrid players wearing the shirt supporting Ceuta pulled up to their chests, covering much of the message. That was enough to spark controversy before the ball even started rolling in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Elche.

The players involved were Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Ibrahima Konaté. The shirt, bearing the slogan "We Are All Ceuta," had been organized by a local business group and had the approval of LaLiga, Elche and Real Madrid itself. The clubs agreed the players would wear it before the match as a gesture toward the Spanish city, which has been grappling with a migration crisis since tens of thousands of people crossed the border from Morocco in July. The fact that three players chose to hide part of the text did not sit well with either the Spanish press or the fans who watched the scene unfold live.

The next day, Mbappé decided to explain it himself. Speaking to the newspaper AS, the French forward got straight to the point: "I want to explain this clearly so people understand it." He then gave his version of events, making clear that the decision to wear the shirt came from the clubs and that the players simply had to put it on.

"It was a decision made by the clubs to wear the shirt. We, the players, had to wear it. The first thing I want to say is that I fully stand in solidarity with Ceuta and all the victims, because before being a player, I am a human being"Kylian Mbappé

But his explanation did not stop there. Mbappé wanted to go further and explain why, even while standing with Ceuta, he felt the need to cover part of the message.

"I also wanted to acknowledge and show my support for all the migrants who have lost their lives and those facing difficult conditions. It was a difficult position, because people might think I'm against the people of Ceuta, but no, not at all. I have nothing against them and I fully support them. However, I also wanted to acknowledge everyone who is suffering"Kylian Mbappé

The Frenchman wrapped up his explanation with an idea that sums up the conflict he found himself in fairly well: he did not want one kind of pain to outweigh another. "At the end of the day, I'm human and I don't want to prioritize one form of suffering over another. There are people suffering, and it deeply saddens me to see that in the world. I'm someone who wants the best for our world. My goal is to send a message of positivity and peace, and I hope this gets resolved soon," Mbappé explained.

It's worth remembering Mbappé's family background to understand where his sensitivity toward the migration issue comes from: his mother is of Algerian descent and his father emigrated from Cameroon to France, the country where the forward was born, in Paris.

Not the only case this week

The Ceuta controversy had already touched another player days earlier. On Monday, Abde Ezzalzouli, a forward for Real Betis and the Morocco national team, drew criticism from some Moroccan fans after Betis and Villarreal also wore the Ceuta support shirts before their LaLiga match. Abde, who arrived in Spain with his family as a child, did not stay quiet and responded on social media that he had no intention of apologizing for wearing a shirt that, as he explained, had no political purpose and was not meant to show "disdain for the Moroccan people."