Enrique Riquelme has guaranteed he will sign a player that will feature for Spain at the World Cup if he becomes president of Real Madrid.
The renewable energy entrepreneur will challenge incumbent Florentino Pérez in Madrid’s presidential elections on June 7.
“Real Madrid does not have a single player in the Spanish national team,” Riquelme told Cadena Cope.
“In the 16 World Cups that [Spain] have taken part in, there have always been Real Madrid players involved. What jerseys are the Madrid fans or their children going to wear to watch the World Cup? One of [Barcelona and Spain star] Lamine Yamal? As a Madrid fan, that frustrates me, but there is a solution.
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“If I become Real Madrid president, I will bring a Spanish national team player who will have played at the World Cup.”
Riquelme, 37, said earlier this week he will sign “two international stars” if he becomes president.
As for his choice of coach, following the departure of Álvaro Arbeloa, Riquelme said: “We finalised the manager’s appointment before putting forward my candidacy. He is a manager who is currently with a team.”
Asked about the potential return of coach Jose Mourinho, who is currently in charge of Benfica and is Pérez’s preferred choice to succeed Arbeloa, Riquelme said: “He [Pérez] hasn’t come out and said if he has [signed] Mourinho or not. But in the middle of an election, it would be bad if he did that, to sign Mourinho or someone else.”
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Pérez, 79, called for fresh elections on May 12 after Madrid ended a second consecutive season without winning a major trophy. The Spanish businessman has stood unopposed in each of the club’s last four electoral cycles. Riquelme believes a change is needed.
“These elections are of vital importance after 20 years without them,” he said on Wednesday in Madrid while presenting his project.
Under the motto “Legacy and Future”, Riquelme wants to give Madrid members more say on club matters.
“We have been working on this project since 2021,” he said. “We, members, are the ones who have been completely overlooked.
“In the 1950s, Real Madrid had a social club. The members felt part of something. The owners knew that they were the ones in charge. Between 2004 and 2026, Real Madrid lost its essence; the members lost their club. This is one of the main reasons why I decided to step forward.”
Riquelme will ensure that Real Madrid will always be “100% owned by its members” while he is proposing a 50% reduction in membership fees until the club wins the Champions League again. Among his other projects, is the redevelopment of Madrid’s Valdebebas facilities, including a fan zone, a hotel for members and an arena for basketball and concerts.
