Rafael Nadal has landed himself a new role with Real Madrid as he continues to enjoy his retirement from tennis.
The King of Clay has joined Real Madrid’s board of directors after his lifelong support of the Spanish club.
“I want to thank president Florentino Perez and the board for proposing that I join the board of directors of Real Madrid,” Nadal said during a social media post. “I have accepted this proposal with great excitement, a desire to learn, and a willingness to contribute everything I can.”
Nada’s latest decision could finally open the door for a groundbreaking exhibition match between him and Roger Federer, which has been teased for years.
There has consistently been whisphers of Federer and Nadal playing an exhibition match at the Santiago Bernabeu, in front of what would be a record-breaking crowd.
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Speaking in 2021, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said: “We have tried many times to break the Guinness Record of tennis spectators by organising a Nadal–Federer match at the Bernabeu but one of them is injured or cannot play.”
They have both, of course, retired now, but there is now a major possibility that they could use the stadium, now Nadal is on the board of directors at the club.
Federer’s agent, Tony Godsick, has also admitted he is open to the record-breaking match at the Bernabeu.
“Since Roger retired, he hasn’t wanted to play another match until he feels physically ready. What comes to mind is the spectator record they set in South Africa. We like to do big things. If there’s an opportunity to break that record someday, I’m sure Roger would consider it,” said Godsick.
“Both of them enjoy collaborating, and I like working with Carlos Costa. I have very good memories. We organized the half-grass, half-clay exhibition in Mallorca… Anything is possible in the future.”
Their previous record-breaking match in 2020 came at Match for Africa 5 in Cape Town, South Africa, which was watched by over 50,000 spectators.
Nadal seems to be busier than ever after his retirement in 2024, but he very recently said he was ‘open’ to another exhibition match with Federer.
“I am open (to it) and I had long conversations with Roger,” said Nadal in a recent interview with The Washington Post. “Let’s see what’s going on in the future; if something happens or not. But we are in almost weekly contact together.
“We talk very often and if at some point we find the right reason and the right place to do something, you will know, guys. But I don’t know yet.”
With all of these pieces of the puzzle, it would appear a landmark match between Federer and Nadal in Madrid could be happening very soon.
