The key facts
- Real offered Nadal a seat on the board of directors, and he accepted
- Ratification of the appointment is expected at the general assembly on November 21
- Nadal has been an honorary member of the club since 2011 and in June declined to run for president
The appointment is to be approved by the club's members
Real Madrid has announced plans to bring Rafael Nadal onto the club's board of directors, AFP reports. The appointment is expected to be ratified by the club's members (socios) at the general assembly on November 21. The 40-year-old tennis player, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, confirmed on X that he accepted the offer with great enthusiasm and is ready to learn and contribute.
His ties to the club and earlier statements
Nadal has been an honorary member of Real Madrid since 2011 and maintains a close relationship with club president Florentino Perez. The club's statement emphasizes that for Madridistas it is a matter of 'immense pride' that a figure of such sporting and human stature will join the board of directors. Notably, the board appointment came as the next step after Nadal distanced himself this year from reports about a possible candidacy for the club presidency in the elections, in which Perez won in June, defeating Enrique Riquelme. Back in 2023, Nadal said that one day he would like to lead Real Madrid, but doubted whether he was qualified enough for the role.
