Florentino Pérez has been re-elected as president of Real Madrid in the first contested presidential election since 2006.
Pérez announced his victory in a speech at a hotel close to the Bernabéu stadium, while his opponent, Enrique Riquelme, graciously conceded defeat.
“We achieved the second-best result in the history of Real Madrid [elections],” Pérez stated. “This is an exceptional result… Today, Real Madrid triumphed. We demonstrated democracy to the world. We’ll continue to work hard for Real Madrid to keep winning trophies… I thank everyone who participated. Together, we still have plenty of history to create.”
The official vote tally has yet to be disclosed by the club.
Pérez, 79, has been at the helm of Real Madrid since 2009 and previously served from 2000 to 2006.
Under his leadership, Madrid has secured seven Champions League titles, including the most recent in 2022 and 2024, along with seven LaLiga championships.
Sunday’s election followed a two-week campaign prompted by Pérez’s unexpected decision to call for elections, seeking reassurance from the members after two seasons without a major trophy.
This marked the first competitive election for the club in two decades, with Pérez having been elected unopposed in 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021, and 2025.
Pérez had previously declared that, if re-elected, he would bring José Mourinho back as manager, in addition to signing Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries, and promised to submit a bid of over €150 million for an unnamed “Galáctico” attacking player this Tuesday.
If elected, 37-year-old Riquelme indicated he would pursue Jurgen Klopp as coach and attempt to sign Manchester City‘s Erling Haaland and Rodri.
Pérez first secured the presidency in 2000 by defeating Lorenzo Sanz, bolstered by a promise to sign Barcelona star Luis Figo.
After Figo’s arrival, he further enhanced the squad with Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, and David Beckham, though he resigned in 2006 following a disappointing period for the team.
After his successor Ramón Calderón resigned in 2009, Pérez returned and oversaw a successful era, winning Champions League titles in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Pérez plans to initiate changes in the club’s ownership structure, which would require approval from members, including selling a 5% stake to an external investor.
“I want to congratulate Florentino Pérez on his victory,” Riquelme said outside his campaign headquarters. “I also want to express my gratitude to all the members who engaged and recognized the importance of voting after 20 years. Our firm stance remains against the sale of the club… We understand that Real Madrid is not for sale.”