With tennis legend Rafael Nadal’s retirement from the game now made official, all eyes are focused on what the ‘King of Clay’ will do next.
Nadal revealed his decision to retire from professional tennis on Thursday 10 October, ending a glistening career that saw him win 22 Grand Slam titles – second on the all-time list behind Novak Djokovic – in total, 14 of which came at the French Open.
The Spaniard’s racquet will officially be hung up after the Davis Cup finals are played out in November, but it’s not just his tennis prowess that he’s been known for.
Indeed, Nadal has been the face of some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Nike – his signature headband a staple of his apparel ever since he burst onto the scene.
One other area of interest for Nadal is his unadulterated love for Real Madrid. A lifelong supporter of the club, he is a close friend of club president Florentino Perez and is regularly seen attending games at the Santiago Bernabeu. He was made an honorary member in 2011.
Nadal’s love for the club goes as far as perhaps taking over as president once Perez feels it eventually time to move on – a desire he confessed to Spanish outlet Movistar in September 2024.
Could Rafael Nadal become Real Madrid’s next club president?
“Would I like to be [president]? I think so,” he said. “I think I’d like to. But there are a lot of things. Right now there’s nothing to say because we have the best possible president [Perez].
“What I think today, I might not think tomorrow. There are lots of twists and turns in life. You have to know if you’re qualified to do this kind of thing. I’m quite realistic. I know my limitations. I don’t know if I’d be capable or not. Time will tell.”
Perez has spoken highly of Nadal in the past, despite the tennis great’s reservations about whether or not he could do the job, and went as far to say that he’d be a “magnificent choice” in 2018. “He is the best Spanish sportsman of all time, but beyond what he has achieved and continues to achieve in tennis, his figure represents the best values of sport,” he continued.
“Real Madrid fans carry him in our hearts and we are proud to have a great ambassador for Madrid in the world.”
Whether or not Nadal actually comes to power remains to be seen, but there’s no question that his iconic status in sport would make him a hugely respected figure in boardrooms all around the world.
