On Thursday, 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal announced that he will retire from tennis at the end of this year’s Davis Cup. Tributes poured in from all over the world, including from his dream football club, Real Madrid, which he hopes to lead one day.
“Yes, I would like to be president of Real Madrid,” Nadal said as reported by beIN Sports.
But at the same time, he reiterated his belief in current boss Florentino Perez.
“We have the best president possible right now. After that, life takes many turns, and one must consider if they are in a position to take on certain responsibilities,” the Real Madrid honorary member added.
🗣️ Rafa Nadal: “Yes, I would like to be president of Real Madrid. At the moment, we have the best president possible right now.” @beINSPORTS pic.twitter.com/bDGuENWBNy
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 11, 2024
Nadal has always loved Real Madrid. He is a huge fan, despite his uncle Miguel Angel Nadal being a former Barcelona great. In his autobiography, he even revealed that he would have been a pro-footballer had he not chosen the tennis path.
Nadal, 38, will leave the tennis court as one of the sport’s greatest of all time. Along with 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic and 20-time winner Roger Federer, Nadal formed the ‘big three’, widely regarded as the most dominant trio in tennis history.
With Nadal set to retire after Spain’s Davis Cup Finals in November, all eyes will be on the Spaniard to see what he pursues next.
Real Madrid remains one of the few clubs in the world still run by its members, known as ‘socios.’ This is the first step required to become the club’s president. Nadal must be a Real Madrid member for at least 20 years before becoming eligible for the role currently held by Florentino Pérez.
Additionally, this path is costly. The candidate must issue a bank guarantee of 15% of the club’s budget—likely in the billions. However, with a net worth of $230 million, bolstered by numerous business ventures and sponsorship deals, money shouldn’t be an issue for Rafa.
17 year old Rafael Nadal getting his Madrid jersey signed by Raul in 2003. 🤍 pic.twitter.com/HTjyv8odlE
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 10, 2024
The only other requirement is that the candidate must be Spanish, which Rafa fulfilled 38 years ago when he was born in Mallorca.
Following that, the election process would begin, requiring the votes of the socios and approval from the club’s general assembly. It’s a long and complicated process, but one that Madridistas will surely keep an eye on.
