Football: In La Liga, a support t-shirt for the Ceuta community sparks controversy

Published on: 16/09/2026 - 13:24

2 min Reading time

The pre-match atmosphere at Real Madrid was marked by controversy at the Manuel Martinez Valero Stadium, where Mbappé, Vinicius Junior, and Ibrahima Konaté hesitated to wear a support t-shirt for the people of Ceuta, a Spanish enclave at the center of a migration crisis with Morocco, which players from Betis Sevilla and Villarreal had worn the day before. The three players are accused of wanting to hide the message “ We are all Ceutians ” by only partially wearing it.

Moroccan Abde Ezzalzouli defends his gesture against criticism

Earlier in the day, Moroccan international Abde Ezzalzouli had to justify the absence of any “political message” in his wearing of the t-shirt before the kickoff of a La Liga match between Villarreal and Betis on Monday, September 14. Following this action, the 24-year-old Moroccan forward faced hostile reactions on social media, with some users accusing him of betraying his country and others calling for his exclusion from the national team, of which he is a key player.

“ I want to clarify that the shirt referencing the people of Ceuta was never used for political purposes or out of disdain for my people, the Moroccan people,” reacted Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, known as “Ez Abde,” on his Instagram account.

Ceuta at the center of rising tensions

The international described this gesture as an act of solidarity towards the people of Ceuta, “ regardless of their nationality.” “ This is not an excuse directed at anyone,” he stated regarding his message on Instagram. “ I will continue to hold my head high and represent my origins with pride and a sense of sacrifice,” added the former Barça prospect.

Ceuta, one of two Spanish enclaves in Morocco along with Melilla, has been the scene of significant tensions since a massive influx of migrants from Morocco at the end of July. Tens of thousands of people illegally crossed the borders of Ceuta during this time.

Although most of them have since returned to their home country, several thousand still remain in the autonomous city, where the situation has deteriorated. In Spain, some accuse Moroccan authorities of deliberately allowing this influx of migrants, an allegation that Rabat denies.