Rafael Nadal (left) with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez at the Santiago Bernabeu in September.
Rafael Nadal (left) with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez at the Santiago Bernabeu in September. Alamy Stock Photo

Rafael Nadal joins Real Madrid as board director

The tennis great will be ratified at the club’s general assembly on 21 November.

TENNIS STAR RAFAEL Nadal has become a director of Real Madrid.

The club’s board met on Wednesday and agreed to submit to the general assembly of delegate members ratification of Nadal’s appointment as a new member of the board.

Nadal won 22 grand slam singles titles in a stellar career, including a record 14 French Open crowns. He retired from the sport in 2024.

A club statement 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”.

The statement added: “For Real Madrid and for all Madridismo it is a great pride that a figure of his sporting and human dimension, a benchmark in Spanish and world sport, becomes part of our board of directors and contributes, from this responsibility, to the present and future of our club.”

Madrid’s socios – members – are expected to ratify Nadal’s appointment at the club’s general assembly on 21 November.

In 2023 Nadal said one day he would like to be Madrid president, but did not know if he was qualified for the post.

Additional reporting – © AFP 2026

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