Retired Tennis player Rafael Nadal has played down rumours of his desire to contest for the post of Real Madrid president ahead of the upcoming elections.
Current president Florentino Perez held a press conference on Tuesday and had revealed that he would be opening the position to interest candidates who are willing to contest against him despite only being re-elected in 2025.
The 79-year-old has won the election unopposed since 2009 and was also in charge of affairs between 2000 and 2006.
Nadal, who has previously expressed his desire for the role has however come out to debunk claims of his involvement in the upcoming elections.
“I have read reports that link me as a possible candidate for the Real Madrid presidency. I would like to clarify that these reports are not true”, Nadal revealed
“Yesterday I wanted to nip any speculation in the bud, I saw that I was being linked with [possible candidate] Enrique Riquelme’s candidacy. I understand that it made sense and people can speculate but, although I have a good relationship with him [Riquelme], I have enormous respect for Florentino and everything that he is.
“I didn’t want to fuel speculation about something I’m not involved in. To prevent that — I’m not one to deny things — but football is a world apart and I just wanted to make it clear that I’m not focussed on that at the moment”, the 22-time Grand Slam winner added.
“I like football, I’m passionate about it, I’m a Madrid fan and a Mallorca fan. Yesterday was a difficult day. We have to recognise that things at Madrid have not gone well. This is sport — there have been mistakes and there is nothing wrong with recognising that after so many years of making the right decisions.
“I understand that elections are being called. The members will decide whether to keep their trust or if there is a possible alternative, and the owners will decide who they want to be their leader”, Nadal concluded.
The presidential election process has already begun, with the deadline for submission of application set for May 23.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
