AS get exclusive first words from Mbappe explaining wetin happen before Elche match. Vinicius, Konate and him wear Ceuta support shirt only half. ‘I want explain am well make people understand,’ na so star start. E talk say na clubs decision to put shirt, to wear shirt. Players suppose wear am. First thing: e get full solidarity with Ceuta and all victims. Because before e be player, e be human. But e also want gesture and thought for all immigrants wey lose life and dey hard condition.
Mbappe complete him reasoning: ‘E no easy position, difficult, because people fit think say I dey against Ceuta people but no, absolutely no. I no get anything against dem and I support 100% with my thought on dem. But I want also thought for all people wey suffer, because at end I be human and I no want put priority on suffering. People dey suffer and e dey pain me well well to see am for world. I be guy wey want best for world wey we get. I dey try give message of positivity and peace, and I hope dis one solve quick.’
Shirt wey players carry field read ‘Todos somos caballas’ (na sobriquet for Ceuta people). Dem add: ‘Nuestra Ciudad, nuestra patria’. TV images show how shirts start distribute among 22 starters just before dem jump pitch for tunnel. When reach Mbappe, Vinicius and Konate turn, dem try read message with certain strange face and decide to wear shirt only half, so no one fit read content. After, dem be first to remove am.
Until this moment wey Mbappe first talk about wetin happen, exact reasons why Mbappe, Vinicius and Konate no want join initiative no dey known. Proposal to bring out shirts start from Elche as home team, and Real Madrid accept.
AVE na voluntary association, no profit, born for 1980s, gather 200 top businessmen from three provinces of Comunitat Valenciana, wey dey head leading companies for significant sectors of productive fabric.
Media Spain debate. Radios, TV, papers turn the gesture into one of day matters on Wednesday with opinions from indignation to defense of freedom not to participate. Federico Jimenez Losantos strong. Director of Es la Manana de Federico spend several segments to attack three players. esRadio title comments say Vinicius, Mbappe and Konate ‘support invaders of Ceuta’ and ‘senoritos of Real Madrid’ spoil solidarity gesture with city. Losantos call dem ‘las meninas’ ironically.
Carlos Herrera on COPE defend say wearing or not na personal decision, but criticize solution. ‘Quedarte a medias es hacer el ridiculo,’ e talk, especially when ‘all Spain dey watch’ and players represent Real Madrid. Manu Carreno on SER defend say different sensibilities fit live inside dressing room: ‘Me parece cojonudo the one wey wear Ceuta support shirt and also the one wey no wear.’ Real Madrid accept participate but leave each player free to decide.
Santiago Segurola on Onda Cero go far. Him main criticism no be players but initiative itself. E call am ‘intromision flagrante’ and believe e put players for inadequate situation by bringing campaign wey no be football into match. ‘E compromise and put players for absolute pressure situation,’ e maintain.
Debate reach general TV. For Espejo Publico, Marcos de Quinto defend footballers freedom of expression and show reservation for collective gestures, but same time express support for Ceuta. For same table, journalist and ESdiario contributor Marta Gomez Montero call act of three Madridistas ‘gesto cobarde’: ‘Se hace o no se hace.’ Discussion overflow football. No be only whether three players suppose lower shirt small; na how far individual freedom of footballer reach when club dey campaign and who fit ask am to publicly own message.
While tertulianos, journalists, politicians and fans dey find explanation, three protagonists still no give am. Vinicius, Mbappe and Konate don monopolize hours of radio and TV by doing opposite: keep silence.
