Recently retired tennis star Rafael Nadal has dismissed reports that suggested he would be eager to assist Enrique Riquelme in ousting Florentino Perez as Real Madrid president.
Perez is under immense pressure at the Santiago Bernabeu with the club heading for another trophyless season amid rumours of dressing room discord and boardroom acrimony.
Perez did little to quell the noise around Madrid yesterday by appearing at a hastily arranged press conference at which he accused rivals Barcelona of corruption, lambasted the assembled media and called a presidential election to root out the “bad people” that were undermining his work.
By calling for an unscheduled election, Perez has made it extremely difficult for potential candidates to put their cases forward given the time scale. Within 10 days, a challenger must form a board of directors of at least nine people, have been a Real Madrid member for at least 20 years and provide a bank guarantee of 15% of the club’s annual budget, effectively €150million.
Table of Contents
Riquelme ponders Perez challenge for top job at Real Madrid
Despite that, 37-year-old businessman Enrique Riquelme is believed to be assessing his options and whether he wishes to stand.
Riquelme has close ties with Nadal and sponsors Team Rafa, Nadal’s team in the UIM E1 World Championship, the first global electric powerboat racing series.
However, the former Wimbledon champion insists he won’t be a part of any campaign should Riquelme opt to challenge Perez, saying on his social media page: “I have read reports that link me to possible candidacies for the presidency of Real Madrid. I would like to clarify that these reports are not true.
Quiet Nadal shuns the limelight since retirement
Nadal has kept a relatively low profile since retiring from tennis in November 2024.
He spends much of his time in his native Mallorca at his tennis academy and playing golf.
Nadal, whose uncle Miguel Angel Nadal made over 200 appearances for Barcelona and won 62 caps for Spain, claimed 22 grand slam titles including 14 at Roland Garros, and an Olympic gold medal.
He is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all-time.
You Should Also Read
