It is a controversy which has caused a lot of ink to flow in Spain in recent hours. Already considered a sensitive subject, the Ceuta migration crisis took on a new dimension after the entry of Real Madrid players onto the Elche pitch, where Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius and Ibrahima Konaté had chosen to hide the message “We are all Ceutans” written on the t-shirts worn by both teams. And the gesture of the Blues striker inevitably quickly got people talking in Spain.
His decision sparked reactions, in a particularly sensitive context around this Spanish enclave located on the northern coast of Morocco, facing a major migration crisis. The initiative to wear t-shirts in support was carried by the Valencian Association of Entrepreneurs. With the support of La Liga, several teams agreed to wear this t-shirt when players entered. Javier Tebas, this Wednesday, notably criticized the attitude of the three Real Madrid players, believing that carrying the message half-heartedly amounted to not carrying it. And so faced with the numerous reactions aroused by his gesture, Mbappé finally decided to break the silence and clarify his position.
Mbappé did not want to prioritize suffering
“I want to be clear so that everyone understands. It was the clubs decision to wear this jersey. We, the players, had to wear it. I would first like to express all my solidarity with Ceuta and all the victims. Because before being a player, I am a human being. But I also wanted to make a gesture and show my sympathy to all the migrants who lost their lives and to those who are still living in difficult conditions. It was not an easy position, far from it, because one might think that I am against the inhabitants of Ceuta, but no, absolutely not. I have nothing against them, I support them 100%. But I also wanted to think about all the people who are suffering, because after all, I am human, and I don’t want to prioritize suffering.”explained the French striker in an interview with A.S..
The captain of the France team then explained that he wanted to move beyond this controversy to deliver a broader message. “There are people suffering, and it makes me very sad to see this in the world. I am someone who wants the best for the world we live in. I want to send a message of positivity and peace, and I hope this situation is resolved quickly”he continued. With this speech, Mbappé therefore wanted to dispel any ambiguity surrounding his gesture by recalling that his “humane” approach was aimed at not prioritizing suffering. It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to calm the virulent criticism about him.
