A leaked tunnel video shows Vinicius Jr., Mbappé, and Konaté hesitating to wear Ceuta support shirts before the Real Madrid vs. Elche match, fueling debate over their actions and the politics behind the gesture.
New footage from the Santiago Bernabéu tunnel captures the moment Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappé, and Ibrahima Konaté paused before putting on the “Todos somos caballas” shirts meant to show support for Ceuta. The video, filmed just before kickoff against Elche, shows the players’ uncertainty as they face a public gesture with political undertones.
Both Real Madrid and Elche players walked onto the pitch in shirts with the “Todos somos caballas” slogan, according to official club statements and reports from Reuters and BBC. But attention quickly turned to the three Madrid players, who only half-wore the shirts and took them off right after greeting their opponents. Their actions set off a wave of criticism and debate.
Real Madrid did not impose any sanctions on Vinicius, Mbappé, or Konaté, instead allowing players the freedom to choose whether to wear the solidarity shirt.
Inside the tunnel, Real Madrid coach José Mourinho notices Elche’s players already wearing the shirts, while his own team hesitates. Mourinho starts to ask, “Entonces... ¿Lo de la camiseta...?”, but trails off. Team captain Federico Valverde puts on a shirt and urges his teammates to do the same. Mbappé first signals for the kitman to wait, but after Valverde insists, both he and Vinicius reluctantly pull the shirts over their chests, barely showing the slogan.
Meanwhile, referee Jesús Gil Manzano and Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro have a brief exchange. Dituro questions the meaning of the gesture, and the referee replies, “Matías, no empecemos a enredar las comparaciones.” Dituro responds, “No, pero si salimos así es para apoyar,” and the referee answers, “Díselo a gente con un hijo allí,” pointing to the emotional weight of the situation.
After the match, Mbappé explained that he did not oppose the people of Ceuta, but wanted to show empathy for everyone suffering, not just one group. He said he hoped to send a message of peace and called for a quick resolution to the crisis. According to BBC and other outlets, Mbappé publicly expressed solidarity with Ceuta and its victims, while also mentioning support for migrants facing hardship.
The initiative for the solidarity shirts did not originate from La Liga, but from business leaders in the Valencia region, and was coordinated in advance. This distinction is important, as La Liga president Javier Tebas later criticized the players, stating that partially wearing the shirt was equivalent to refusing it, and clarified that the league itself was not behind the gesture.
The incident has renewed debate about the overlap of football, politics, and public gestures in Spain. Symbolic clothing on the pitch is nothing new, but the reluctance of well-known players to fully take part has sparked fresh discussion about the role of athletes in political statements. As seen in other recent Spanish news, such as the Bilbao street exhibition, public symbols and collective memory remain hotly debated in Spain.
The Real Madrid episode shows how even gestures meant to unite can become flashpoints when players are caught between institutional pressure and personal beliefs. The tunnel video makes it clear: the decision was made on the spot, under pressure, and with visible discomfort. In today’s climate, every action on the field is closely watched for its wider meaning, and the line between sport and society keeps getting thinner. For Spanish football, the lesson is that symbolic acts only work when there is real agreement—otherwise, they risk causing more division than unity.
