Tennis legend Rafael Nadal is set to join Real Madrid’s board of directors after accepting a proposal from the club’s president, Florentino Pérez.
The 40-year-old Spaniard’s appointment will be put to a vote by Real Madrid members at a meeting later this month.
Nadal, a lifelong supporter of the Spanish club and an honorary member, said he was delighted to accept the offer and looked forward to contributing to the club’s future.
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“I want to thank President Florentino Pérez and the Board for proposing that I join the Real Madrid Board of Directors,” Nadal wrote on X.
“I have accepted this proposal with great enthusiasm, eager to learn and contribute as much as I can.”
Real Madrid described Nadal as “one of the greatest legends in the history of sport and one of the most admired and recognised Spanish athletes in the world”.
“For Real Madrid and for all Madridistas, it is an immense honour that a figure of his sporting and human stature, a reference in Spanish and global sport, joins our Board of Directors and contributes, from this role, to the present and future of our club,” the club said in a statement.
Nadal retired from professional tennis in 2024 after an illustrious career in which he won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, two Olympic gold medals and five Davis Cup titles with Spain. He also spent time as world number one and claimed 92 individual titles.
His appointment has renewed speculation about a possible future role in Real Madrid’s leadership, with the tennis great previously mentioned as a potential successor to Pérez, who has been president since 2009.
In 2023, Nadal told Movistar Plus that becoming Real Madrid president was an idea that appealed to him, although he stressed that he was not actively pursuing the position at the time.
It remains unclear what specific responsibilities he would assume as a board member.
Pérez was re-elected for another four-year term in June. Real Madrid are seeking to improve their fortunes after going a second consecutive season without winning La Liga, the Champions League or the Copa del Rey.
The club are currently third in the league standings after 11 matches, three points behind defending champions Barcelona.
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