Rafael Nadal is set to join Real Madrid’s board of directors after the club proposed the tennis great for a position in its governing body.
The 40-year-old’s appointment must first be approved by Real Madrid members at a meeting later this month.
Nadal, who retired from tennis in 2024, won 22 Grand Slam singles titles and two Olympic gold medals. He also helped Spain win five Davis Cups during his career.
Announcing the proposal, 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”.
The club added: “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.”
Nadal is a lifelong Real Madrid supporter and holds the club’s membership number 67,778. In response to the announcement, he posted a photograph of himself as a child wearing a Real Madrid kit.
“I want to thank president Florentino Perez and the board for proposing that I join the board of directors of Real Madrid,” Nadal said in a post on X.
“I have accepted this proposal with great excitement, a desire to learn, and a willingness to contribute everything I can.”
The club has not yet specified what responsibilities Nadal would take on as a member of the board.
Real Madrid’s current position
Florentino Perez was re-elected as Real Madrid president for a further four-year term in June. He has held the position since 2009.
Perez then appointed Jose Mourinho as head coach for a second spell, with Real Madrid seeking to improve after ending a second successive season without winning La Liga, the Champions League or the Copa del Rey.
Real Madrid are third in the league after 11 games, three points behind defending champions Barcelona.