Florentino Pérez's power move: Rafa Nadal joins Real Madrid board

Rafa Nadal has joined Real Madrid's board of directors, a move seen as a strategic counter by Florentino Pérez against rival Enrique Riquelme.

Real Madrid has appointed tennis legend Rafa Nadal to its board of directors. The decision is viewed as a political move by club president Florentino Pérez against Enrique Riquelme, who challenged him in the most recent presidential election.

During the election campaign, there was speculation that Nadal might support Riquelme, given their close relationship and shared business interests—Riquelme's company Cox sponsors Nadal's academy team and his electric boat racing team. Nadal publicly denied any involvement in the election, stating on social media that reports linking him to either candidate were false.

Nadal's acceptance of the board position has reportedly surprised Riquelme and caught many observers off guard, marking an unexpected shift in the tennis star's stance on Real Madrid's internal politics.