Enrique Riquelme Announces Real Madrid Presidential Bid, Calls for “Democracy, Transparency, and a New Cycle”
· Yahoo Sports
Enrique Riquelme officially announced on Thursday that he is running for the presidency of Real Madrid, positioning himself as the first serious challenger to Florentino Pérez in decades. In a wide-ranging interview with MARCA, Riquelme outlined a campaign centered on governance reform, democratization of the club, modernization of its sporting structure, and renewed emphasis on the role of club members.
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Riquelme framed his candidacy not as a personal battle against Pérez, but as what he believes is a necessary new cycle for the club after more than 20 years under the current leadership.
“Florentino Pérez is the best president in Real Madrid’s history,” Riquelme told MARCA. “But cycles also come to an end. We’re not here to compete with a person, we’re here to propose a different plan.”
The businessman described the decision to run as the culmination of years of reflection behind the scenes. According to Riquelme, conversations about how to help Real Madrid date back more than a decade, but intensified after 2021. He said he ultimately felt a “moral and ethical obligation” to step forward and offer members an alternative.
A major pillar of his platform is opposition to any potential privatization of Real Madrid. Riquelme repeatedly emphasized that concern over the club’s future ownership structure helped unite the people behind his campaign.
“What united a significant group of members is the fear of privatizing the club,” he said. “We want a Real Madrid that will continue to belong to its members for more than 120 years.”
He also criticized what he perceives as a lack of democracy within the current institutional structure, pointing to the fact that Real Madrid has gone two decades without contested presidential elections. Riquelme argued that the current system makes it extraordinarily difficult for challengers to emerge and promised reforms centered on transparency and member involvement.
Much of the interview focused on the relationship between the club and its socios. Riquelme claimed that many members no longer feel genuinely connected to Real Madrid beyond symbolic gestures and merchandise discounts.
He specifically pointed to ticketing frustrations, relocation of season-ticket holders, and the difficulty ordinary members face when trying to attend away matches or access ticket allocations. According to Riquelme, these issues reflect a broader disconnect between the institution and its supporters.
“Being a Real Madrid member means getting Christmas and birthday greetings and a 15% discount on jerseys,” he said. “That can’t be.”
On the sporting side, Riquelme confirmed that his project includes major names and structural reforms, though he stopped short of revealing specifics. He stressed that Real Madrid needs a professional sporting director and a clearer long-term sporting identity.
He also highlighted concerns over the academy pipeline, contrasting Madrid’s recent youth production with clubs like Barcelona.
“Real Madrid has to have a sporting director,” he said. “It can’t be that there’s a lack of players coming through the academy while other clubs in Spain fill their national teams with players from their youth systems.”
Riquelme added that his vision is not built around short-term transfer splashes to win elections, but rather around constructing a sustainable sporting model capable of competing immediately while also planning for the future.
Another recurring theme was the club’s image and institutional relationships. Riquelme argued that Madrid has become increasingly isolated and suggested the club should seek respect rather than fear from the football world.
“We need them to respect us again, not fear us,” he said.
He also addressed Real Madrid Femenino and the basketball division, insisting that if the club chooses to compete in those areas, it must aim to be the best rather than merely participate.
Financially, Riquelme acknowledged the enormous barrier to entry involved in running for Real Madrid president, particularly due to the guarantee requirements tied to the club’s budget. He revealed that he personally assumed 100% of the financial guarantee for the candidacy using his own assets.
The businessman, who said he oversees a company with nearly 14,000 employees across 37 countries, framed the campaign as a major professional and personal sacrifice shared by the people involved in his project.
He also criticized the current state of Real Madrid Television, arguing that the channel should evolve beyond what he described as a partisan outlet and instead become a profitable global content platform capable of attracting and entertaining supporters worldwide.
Throughout the interview, Riquelme consistently balanced criticism of the club’s current direction with praise for Pérez’s legacy. He repeatedly credited the current president for transforming Real Madrid into the biggest sporting brand in the world, while simultaneously arguing that the club now requires structural renewal.
Ultimately, Riquelme presented his candidacy as a long-term institutional project rather than a campaign focused solely on immediate sporting success.
“Real Madrid needs a solid foundation in terms of governance, transparency, and democracy,” he said. “If what we want is to create a Real Madrid that lasts another 100 years, we have to change that foundation.”