Real Madrid to add Rafael Nadal to board, members vote November 21
- Rafael Nadal has accepted Real Madrid's invitation to join the club's board of directors.
- Club members must ratify the appointment at an extraordinary general assembly on November 21.
- The retired tennis star, 40, has been an honorary Real Madrid member since 2011.
Real Madrid plan to put retired tennis great Rafael Nadal on the club's board of directors, the Spanish club said on Wednesday. The 40-year-old has accepted the offer from club president Florentino Perez and the board.
The appointment is not final yet. Real Madrid's representative members must ratify it at an extraordinary general assembly on November 21, the club said. According to the club, the board backed the proposal unanimously and it will be presented in line with Article 46 of Real Madrid's statutes.
Nadal, a lifelong Madrid supporter and honorary club member since 2011, confirmed the move in a post on X. He thanked Perez and the board for the invitation, saying he accepted "with great enthusiasm, eager to learn and to contribute as much as I can." He also shared a childhood photo of himself in a Real Madrid shirt.
The club described Nadal as one of the greatest legends in sporting history and one of Spain's most admired athletes, saying his arrival would contribute to Real Madrid's present and future. It is not yet clear what specific duties he would take on.
Why it matters beyond Spain
Nadal retired in 2024 after one of the finest careers in tennis: 22 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record 14 French Open crowns, two Olympic gold medals and five Davis Cup titles with Spain. He also spent time as world number one and won 92 singles titles in all.
For Nigerian football fans who follow La Liga and the Champions League closely, the appointment adds a famous sporting name to the boardroom of one of the world's biggest clubs. Real Madrid are rebuilding after two straight seasons without La Liga, the Champions League or the Copa del Rey. They sit third in La Liga after 11 matches, three points behind champions Barcelona, and have brought Jose Mourinho back as head coach.
Perez, who has led the club since 2009, won another four-year term in June, beating Enrique Riquelme. Nadal had distanced himself from reports he would run in that election. In 2023 he said the presidency appealed to him but he was unsure he was qualified.
What happens next
Members will vote on the appointment at the assembly on November 21, held at the basketball pavilion of Ciudad Real Madrid, with in-person and online sessions. If approved, Nadal moves from the tennis court into the running of the club — though the sources give no sign he is being lined up for the presidency.
