Today, Real Madrid\u2019s presidential campaign has taken a dramatic turn.<\/p>\n
Challenger Enrique Riquelme, who is running against longtime president Florentino P\u00e9rez, appeared on Spanish television program El Hormiguero carrying a notarized document and making perhaps the boldest promise of the election cycle: if elected president, he will sign both Erling Haaland and Rodri for Real Madrid.<\/p>\n
Riquelme unveiled what he described as a personal notarized guarantee. If he fails to deliver on those transfer promises, he says he will personally cover the annual membership fees of every Real Madrid socio.<\/p>\n
During his appearance with host Pablo Motos, Riquelme revealed Haaland as a centerpiece of his sporting project. Wearing a shirt bearing the Norwegian striker\u2019s name, he claimed that the Manchester City star has a contractual clause and a desire to eventually play for Real Madrid.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve signed a personal guarantee,\u201d Riquelme said. \u201cIf I don\u2019t fulfill my promise of bringing the players I\u2019ve announced, I will pay 100% of the membership fees of Real Madrid\u2019s members.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, the claim quickly encountered resistance.<\/p>\n
Shortly after the broadcast, Haaland\u2019s representatives moved to distance themselves from the announcement. Agent Rafaela Pimenta and Haaland\u2019s father, Alfie Haaland, released a statement denying that any agreement existed.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery entertaining, but it\u2019s not true,\u201d the statement read. \u201cWe wish both candidates the best in the Real Madrid elections.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not Just Haaland: Rodri, Ra\u00fal, and Hierro<\/p>\n
Haaland is only one component of Riquelme\u2019s proposed overhaul.<\/p>\n
The businessman has already announced that Manchester City\u2019s Rodri would be another marquee signing under his presidency. He has also outlined major structural changes, including appointing club legend Ra\u00fal Gonz\u00e1lez as sporting director and Fernando Hierro as head of the academy system.<\/p>\n
Riquelme has repeatedly framed these appointments as an effort to place club icons in key positions throughout the organization.<\/p>\n
Speaking about Rodri, Riquelme described the midfielder as a Ballon d\u2019Or-caliber player and a profile that addresses one of Madrid\u2019s most important sporting needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I\u2019m president,\u201d he said, \u201cRodri will play for Real Madrid.\u201d<\/p>\n
How Much Would the Guarantee Cost?<\/p>\n
The financial risk attached to Riquelme\u2019s promise is substantial.<\/p>\n
Based on Real Madrid\u2019s latest membership figures, the total amount required to cover annual membership fees would exceed \u20ac12 million.<\/p>\n
The club currently has just over 98,000 registered members. Most adult members pay approximately \u20ac174 per year, while retirees and younger members pay reduced rates. Children under 11 and members with more than 50 years of continuous membership are exempt from fees altogether.<\/p>\n
Using the current membership structure, estimates place the potential cost of Riquelme\u2019s guarantee at roughly \u20ac12.3 million if he fails to complete the signings he has publicly pledged.<\/p>\n
Echoes of Florentino\u2019s Famous Figo Promise<\/p>\n
In 2000, Florentino P\u00e9rez stunned the football world by promising to sign Barcelona star Lu\u00eds Figo. To convince skeptical voters, P\u00e9rez pledged that he would personally reimburse season ticket holders if he failed to complete the transfer.<\/p>\n
The move helped propel him to victory, and Figo ultimately arrived at the Santiago Bernab\u00e9u.<\/p>\n
Riquelme appears to be borrowing from that playbook, though with significantly higher stakes. Rather than one superstar signing, he has tied his credibility to two major acquisitions while extending financial compensation to the club\u2019s entire membership base.<\/p>\n
Opposition to Potential Ownership Changes<\/p>\n
Beyond transfers, Riquelme has attempted to center his campaign around club governance.<\/p>\n
A recurring theme throughout his public appearances has been the idea that Real Madrid must remain under member ownership. He has repeatedly argued that the upcoming election should be viewed as a referendum on the club\u2019s future structure.<\/p>\n
\u201cI commit that if I\u2019m president, the club will belong to its members,\u201d he said during the interview.<\/p>\n
Riquelme has criticized what he perceives as discussions about selling or privatizing the club, positioning himself as a defender of Real Madrid\u2019s traditional ownership model.<\/p>\n
His platform also includes a proposal to create a new \u201cMembers\u2019 City\u201d in Valdebebas and a temporary 50 percent reduction in membership fees until the club wins another Champions League title.<\/p>\n
Criticism of the Current Leadership<\/p>\n
Riquelme suggested that two decades without meaningful electoral opposition may have contributed to excessive concentration of power, arguing that greater transparency and accountability are needed.<\/p>\n
At the same time, he emphasized that he would run the club differently from a sporting perspective.<\/p>\n
According to Riquelme, a president should focus on governance, finances, and strategic oversight rather than interfering in football decisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe president cannot decide lineups,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to put the right people in the right positions and let them work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coaching Plans Still Under Wraps<\/p>\n
One notable detail remains unresolved.<\/p>\n
Although Riquelme confirmed that Jos\u00e9 Mourinho is not the coach he would choose for his project, he declined to reveal the identity of his preferred candidate.<\/p>\n
Instead, he teased an imminent announcement, claiming that his preferred choice is a figure widely supported by Madrid supporters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Today, Real Madrid\u2019s presidential campaign has taken a dramatic turn. Challenger Enrique Riquelme, who is running against longtime…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":683573,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[55854,403,99],"class_list":["post-683572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-soccer","tag-real-madrid-cf-news","tag-soccer","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/683572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=683572"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/683572\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/683573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=683572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=683572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=683572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}