Real Madrid coach José Mourinho was asked about the controversy surrounding T-shirts promoting the Spanish identity of Ceuta and LaLiga’s campaign linked to the initiative.
“The controversy surrounding the Ceuta shirts? I talk about football,” the Portuguese coach simply replied, declining to enter the debate and choosing to keep his focus on sporting matters.
Mourinho was speaking at a press conference held on Saturday, September 19, on the eve of the derby against Atlético de Madrid, scheduled for Sunday at 3:15 p.m. Moroccan time.
The question came as three of his players have faced criticism since Tuesday, September 15, following the match against Elche.
Read also : Real Madrid defends players over Ceuta T-shirts and reignites debate on individual freedom
Kylian Mbappé, Ibrahima Konaté and Vinicius Junior have been criticized over the way they wore the T-shirts dedicated to Ceuta. They have notably been accused of deliberately making the messages on the shirts difficult to read.
The shirts carried two inscriptions. The first read “Todos somos caballas,” meaning “We are all Caballas,” referring to the traditional nickname given to the people of Ceuta. The second read “Ceuta (y sus caballeros) es de la mar,” which can be translated as “Ceuta (and its knights) belongs to the sea.”
By refusing to fuel the controversy, Mourinho has taken a different approach from several voices in Spanish football who have chosen to address the issue and turn it into a subject extending well beyond the football pitch.
Real Madrid, for its part, has firmly defended its players and their individual freedom. In a statement, the club said it respected “the opinion and sensitivity of each of its employees” and that no one should be forced to do something “they do not think or believe in.”
