Ez Abde’s Ceuta shirt divides Morocco supporters

Ez Abde has become the centre of a debate among Morocco supporters after being photographed wearing a T-shirt presenting Ceuta alongside the Spanish coat of arms.

The image was taken on Monday, around the time of the fifth round of the Spanish league, and apparently before Real Betis’s 2-1 defeat by Villarreal. On the back of the shirt were the word “Ceuta” and Spain’s coat of arms.

The garment drew criticism from some Moroccan observers, who regard Ceuta as Moroccan territory occupied by Spain. FRMF Xtra was among those to condemn the decision, describing it as “really shameful to wear a shirt that recognises Ceuta as Spanish territory and to show your support”.

The outlet also argued that Abde, who has won 37 caps and scored two goals for Morocco, could have chosen not to wear it.

Others took a different view, saying the 24-year-old winger had no realistic alternative because he was following his club’s sporting instructions. The disagreement has therefore focused not only on the political sensitivity surrounding Ceuta, but also on the extent to which footballers can refuse clothing or gestures required by their teams.

The incident has also revived a wider discussion in Morocco about players’ individual responses to controversial causes. Some are unwilling to challenge instructions, while others have chosen to make their objections clear.

Former Morocco international Abdelhamid El Kaoutari, who earned 13 caps before retiring, refused several years ago to wear a T-shirt carrying the slogan “Je suis Charlie”. His decision came after the 2015 attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and reflected his opposition to the campaign that followed.

In a separate case, Egyptian striker Mostafa Mohamed, now at Konyaspor, refused to play in May last year while he was with FC Nantes. His decision came during a day dedicated to opposing homophobia.

For Abde, Monday’s match was significant on the pitch as well as away from it. He made his second appearance of the season for Betis and was named in the starting line-up for the first time since recovering from a knee injury.

That injury had previously ruled the Beni Mellal-born player out of the 2026 World Cup.