According to Marca, the "Support Ceuta" match shirts worn during several recent La Liga matches have sparked considerable controversy. The initiative, launched by the Valencian Business Association, aims to express solidarity with Ceuta and defend Spain's territorial integrity. However, Real Betis player Abde faced fierce backlash from Moroccan fans for wearing the shirt, while Real Madrid players Vinícius and Mbappé, along with Konate, chose to cover the slogan. Barcelona, meanwhile, directly refused to have their players wear the shirt.

Where do these shirts come from and who has promoted them? The initiative was launched by the Valencian Business Association, the most important business association in the Valencian Community, currently chaired by Vicente Boluda, former president of Real Madrid. The slogan on the shirt features the phrase "We Are All Ceutís," with smaller text in parentheses below reading "Ceuta and its sea knights." The back of the shirt displays "Ceuta" and the Spanish coat of arms.

Association members include the Roig family, owners of Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine club strongly backed the initiative from the start, telling Marca they had long considered how to support Ceuta. They even pledged to continue supporting any new proposals on the issue.

The Valencian Business Association presented clubs in the Valencian Community with the opportunity to show their support for Ceuta on their match shirts. After receiving La Liga approval, the clubs displayed them. As opponents, Real Betis wore them against Villarreal, and Real Madrid against Elche, with only the three exceptions mentioned earlier. Additionally, Barcelona did not wear the shirt in their match against Levante.

Therefore, this was neither a La Liga initiative nor a proposal from the Valencian Community government. However, La Liga followed its pre-match procedures for ceremonial activities and approved the proposal from these clubs.

The "We Are All Ceutís" initiative was launched on September 10.

On September 10, local time, the Valencian Business Association announced the initiative on social media: "From the Valencian Business Association, we express our solidarity and support for Ceuta and its citizens. Therefore, we are promoting the 'We Are All Ceutís' movement, an initiative born from commitment and solidarity, aimed at defending Spain's territorial and social cohesion." Why are Ceuta residents called "Ceutís"? "Ceutí" is a common term used to refer to all residents of Ceuta, a designation recognized by the Royal Spanish Academy for people from Ceuta. The term's origin relates to tuna fishing in the Strait of Gibraltar waters, so Ceuta's fishermen began being called "Ceutís" in the 19th century.

On Sunday, local time, the association thanked Levante for posting a photo of their players wearing the shirt. The association posted: "Thank you so much for making it your goal, Levante. Through everyone's efforts, we spread the message further. Thank you for standing with Ceuta and its people."

Controversy surrounding Abde, Vinícius, Konate, and Mbappé.

Although the first match featuring the shirt was Levante vs. Barcelona (at which point Barcelona's refusal went largely unnoticed), real controversy began with the Villarreal vs. Real Betis match. Coincidentally, Real Betis player Abde, who is of Moroccan descent, was one of the players who wore the shirt.

Abde subsequently faced a barrage of insults and hateful messages, forcing him to issue a statement. "This is a social shirt, not a political shirt," the player said with his club's support.

La Liga president Javier Tebas also commented on Abde's situation on Tuesday, local time: "This is collateral damage from the current invasion of Ceuta. This is not an immigration issue, and this situation proves it. It is an invasion issue, because it is an act of aggression by many Moroccan citizens claiming that Ceuta does not belong to Spain. This is collateral damage from everything that is happening."

Subsequently, in the second controversial match involving the initiative, Elche vs. Real Madrid, Konate, Vinícius, and Mbappé completely refused to wear the shirt, covering the main slogan. During the pre-match handshake, the Brazilian and French players even removed their shirts.

Valencian Business Association declines to comment.

When contacted by Marca, the Valencian Business Association declined to issue any statement regarding events that occurred during the matches. The association merely reiterated the initiative's objectives displayed on its official website: "To convey our closeness and solidarity to all citizens of Ceuta," and stated it was "an initiative to support citizens, with an emphasis on conveying a message of national solidarity, closeness, and Spain's territorial and social cohesion."

The association added: "As businesspeople and Spanish citizens, we cannot remain idle, especially when the current situation is affecting the local economy, employment, and society as a whole."

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