November 5 – Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal has accepted an invitation to join Real Madrid’s board of directors.
The 40-year-old, a lifelong fan and honorary member of the club since 2017, announced the move on Instagram alongside a photograph of himself as a young child in a Real Madrid kit.
“I would like to thank President Florentino Pérez and the Board for inviting me to join the @realmadrid Board of Directors,” he wrote. “I have accepted this invitation with great enthusiasm, eager to learn and contribute as much as I can.”
The club said: “For Real Madrid and for all Madridistas, it is an immense honor that a figure of his sporting and human stature, a reference in Spanish and world sport, joins our Board of Directors and contributes, from this role, to the present and future of our club.”
He described his “talent, his continuous desire to improve, his capacity for sacrifice, his competitiveness, his humility, his respect for rivals and teammates, and his solidarity” as values that “form part of the identity of Real Madrid”.
Nadal retired in 2024 with 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 French Opens, 36 Masters titles and two Olympic gold medals. His support for Real Madrid has been one of the worst-kept secrets in Spanish sport for two decades.
The appointment comes during a turbulent period for the club off the pitch. In the past month alone, Real Madrid have demanded the resignation of LaLiga president Javier Tebas, hired former European Super League director Bernd Reichart to run their commercial operation, pursued Premier League clubs over Super League-related costs and dealt with the fallout from Kylian Mbappé’s comments in China.
The club’s General Assembly will have to ratify the appointment on November 21.
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