Rafael Nadal named to Real Madrid's board of directors
The former tennis player, an avowed fan and honorary member of the club since 2011, will be put before the members' assembly on November 21
Translated from the Portuguese original by the Panorama newsroom. Read in Portuguese
Summary written by the Panorama newsroom from the sources listed below. Facts are attributed to the original publications.
Real Madrid announced on Wednesday (4) that former tennis player Rafael Nadal will join the club's board of directors, according to Folha de S.Paulo. His candidacy will be submitted to the general assembly of members scheduled for November 21, which is expected to approve it, the club said in a statement.
Winner of 22 Grand Slam titles and the only player to win Roland Garros 14 times, Nadal is an avowed fan of the Merengue side and has been an honorary member since 2011. In a statement, Real Madrid said it was a source of pride to welcome a figure of his sporting and human stature and described him as an example of talent, humility and respect for opponents.
On social media, the Spaniard thanked president Florentino Pérez and the board for the invitation, which he said he had accepted with great enthusiasm and a desire to learn and to contribute. He posted the message alongside a childhood photo wearing the club's colors and another at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.
His passion for Real Madrid goes back a long way, even though his uncle, Miguel Ángel Nadal, played for Barcelona. In 2024, the uncle told the newspaper As that he once got his nephew to wear a Barça shirt, but the boy did not look very happy about it, and he soon realized it was a lost battle.
In 2023, according to Folha, Nadal told Movistar+ that he did not rule out one day becoming the club's president, but noted that he would need to be prepared for the role and that he knew his own limitations.