Enrique Riquelme has promised to recruit a player who will represent Spain at the World Cup if he is elected president of Real Madrid.
The renewable energy entrepreneur is set to challenge the current president, Florentino Pérez, in the presidential elections scheduled for June 7 in Madrid.
“Real Madrid currently has no players in the Spanish national team,” Riquelme stated on Cadena Cope.
“In the 16 World Cups that Spain has participated in, there have always been players from Real Madrid. What jerseys will Madrid fans, or their children for that matter, wear while watching the World Cup? One of Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal? As a Madrid supporter, that is quite frustrating, but there is a remedy.”
“If I am elected Real Madrid president, I will secure a player from the Spanish national team who has participated in the World Cup.”
At 37, Riquelme indicated earlier this week that he plans to sign “two international stars” should he take office.
Regarding the managerial position, he mentioned that they have already finalized the choice of manager before his candidacy announcement. “He is currently managing another team.”
On the topic of Jose Mourinho, who is currently with Benfica and is favored by Pérez to take over from Arbeloa, Riquelme commented, “Pérez has not publicly confirmed whether he has already signed Mourinho or not. It would not be wise to do that during an election period.”
Pérez, aged 79, called for new elections on May 12 after Madrid completed a second consecutive season without claiming a major trophy. He has previously run unopposed in the past four election cycles. Riquelme argues that a change is needed.
“These elections are critically important after two decades without them,” he stated on Wednesday in Madrid during the presentation of his project.
With the slogan “Legacy and Future,” Riquelme aims to give club members a greater voice in decision-making processes.
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“We have been developing this project since 2021. The members have been completely neglected.”
“In the 1950s, Real Madrid was a social club where members felt included. The administration understood who was in charge. Between 2004 and 2026, the club lost its essence; the members lost their ownership. This is one of the primary reasons I decided to run.”
Riquelme is committed to ensuring that Real Madrid remains “100% owned by its members” during his tenure and is proposing a 50% reduction in membership fees until the club secures another Champions League title. Among his other initiatives, he plans to redevelop Madrid’s Valdebebas facilities, creating a fan zone, a member hotel, and an arena for basketball and concerts.