Florentino Pérez has been re-elected as Real Madrid president in the first contested presidential voting since 2006.
Pérez proclaimed victory during a speech at a hotel near the Bernabéu stadium, while his rival candidate, Enrique Riquelme, accepted defeat.
“We’ve obtained the second-best result in the history of Real Madrid [elections],” Pérez said. “It’s an extraordinary result… Today, Real Madrid won. We’ve shown an example of democracy to the world. We’ll keep working for Real Madrid to keep winning trophies… I want to thank everyone who participated. Together, we have a lot of history left to make.”
Pérez, 79, has been Real Madrid president since 2009, and before that between 2000 and 2006.
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During his presidency Madrid have won seven Champions Leagues — most recently in 2022 and 2024 — and seven LaLiga titles.
Sunday’s vote took place after a two-week campaign which followed Pérez’s surprise decision to call elections, looking for a show of support from members after two seasons without a major trophy.
It was the first contested election the club had held in 20 years, with Pérez elected unopposed in 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2025.
Pérez had already announced the return of José Mourinho as Madrid coach if he won Sunday’s poll, as well as the signings of Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries, and a promise to bid over €150 million this Tuesday for an unnamed “Galáctico” attacking signing.
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If elected, businessman Riquelme, 37, said he would attempt to recruit Jurgen Klopp as coach, and sign Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Rodri.
Construction magnate Pérez first beat Lorenzo Sanz to the presidency in 2000, thanks in part to a promise to sign Barcelona star Luis Figo.
He followed Figo’s arrival by landing Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario and David Beckham, before the team’s failure to deliver led him to resign in 2006.
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After his successor, Ramón Calderón, resigned in 2009, Pérez returned and oversaw a golden era with Champions League wins in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Pérez has said that he now plans to oversee a change in the club’s ownership structure — which would be subject to another members’ vote — selling 5% to an external investor.
“I want to congratulate Florentino Pérez’s candidacy for the victory,” Riquelme said, speaking outside his campaign headquarters. “I also want to thank all the members who listened, and knew the importance of voting after 20 years, with our red line, being against the sale of the club… We know that Real Madrid isn’t for sale.”
