Real Madrid have appointed Rafael Nadal to the club’s board of directors, with the club expressing its pride at welcoming the 22-time Grand Slam champion in the executive role on Wednesday.
The club described Nadal as a longtime fan and an honorary member. Following the announcement, he posted a photo of himself as a child wearing a Real Madrid kit on his X account.
“I want to thank president Florentino Perez and the board who proposed me to be part of the board of directors at Real Madrid,” Nadal wrote in the caption. “I accepted this proposal with great excitement, a desire to learn and contribute everything I can.”
Links to presidency denied
Earlier in 2026, Nadal had dismissed reports linking him to a possible candidacy for the club’s presidency as “untrue”.
The 40-year-old, who retired from professional tennis in 2024, was praised by the club for sharing its values.
Club pays tribute
“Rafael Nadal, an honorary member of Real Madrid, is one of the greatest legends in the history of sport and one of the most admired and recognised Spanish athletes in the world,” a club spokesperson said.
“For Real Madrid and for all Madrid fans, it is a great source of pride that a figure of his sporting and human stature, a benchmark of Spanish and world sport, will become part of our Board of Directors and contribute, from this position of responsibility, to the present and future of our club.”
The spokesperson added that Nadal’s career reflected much more than his success, pointing to his “talent”, “constant drive to improve”, “capacity for sacrifice”, “competitiveness”, “humility”, “respect for rivals and team-mates”, and “commitment to solidarity”.
“All these values are part of Real Madrid’s identity, and Rafael Nadal has represented and defended them throughout his sporting life, becoming a role model for millions of people around the world.”