Real Madrid candidate Enrique Riquelme vows to sign a Spain World Cup player if elected president

Enrique Riquelme, one of the candidates challenging Florentino Pérez in Real Madrid's presidential election set for June 7, has told radio programme El Partidazo de COPE he will sign a player from Spain's World Cup squad for Real Madrid if he becomes president. He also said the managerial appointment for the next season was settled before he launched his candidacy.

Why it matters

Real Madrid's presidential vote on June 7 will determine the club's transfer and managerial direction. A promise to sign a Spanish World Cup player is notable because, as Riquelme put it in the interview, Real Madrid currently have no Spain internationals in the squad — an unusual situation across 16 World Cups — and he framed a Spanish signing as both symbolic and strategic.

What Riquelme actually said

According to World Soccer Talk's coverage of Riquelme's COPE interview, the candidate said: 'Real Madrid does not have a single player in the Spanish national team. In the 16 World Cups that have taken place, there have always been Real Madrid players involved. As a Madrid fan, that frustrates me, but there is a solution. If I become Real Madrid president, there will be a Spanish national team player at the World Cup who belongs to Real Madrid.' The source reports he did not name the player.

Candidates reportedly under consideration

World Soccer Talk lists a number of Spain squad members and examines who might fit Riquelme's description, but the piece makes clear these are speculative possibilities, not confirmed targets. The article rules out Barcelona players on the premise they are unlikely to move to Real Madrid, and notes Real Madrid already have Thibaut Courtois among goalkeepers.

• Riquelme pledged to sign 'a Spanish national team player at the World Cup' if elected president.
• He said Real Madrid currently have no Spain internationals and called that situation 'frustrating.'
• Riquelme told COPE his managerial appointment was finalised before he announced his candidacy, but he did not name the manager.
• World Soccer Talk discussed potential Spain squad names (e.g. Rodri, Marcos Llorente, Marc Cucurella, Nico Williams, Mikel Oyarzabal, Martín Zubimendi, Mikel Merino) only as possibilities; none are confirmed by Riquelme.

Managerial claim and context

Riquelme told the interviewer he had already finalised the manager before launching his bid. World Soccer Talk notes José Mourinho is commonly linked with Florentino Pérez's plans, but the source records that Riquelme did not explicitly name his chosen coach in the interview.

What we do not know yet

The identity of the Spain player Riquelme says he would sign was not disclosed. The report also does not include confirmation that any negotiations, offers, or agreements exist with the player or their club. Riquelme's claim about the manager lacks a named individual and there is no confirmation from Real Madrid's existing administration or the prospective manager.

Because the supplied source does not provide the player's name, the manager's identity, or contract details, this story is based on Riquelme's public statements and the source's analysis. Those statements should be verified with the original COPE interview, with Real Madrid's official communications, or with direct confirmation from the player or manager before treating the signing or appointment as settled.

What happens next

The key date is June 7, when Real Madrid will hold the presidential election. If Riquelme wins, readers should look for immediate clarification from the new administration on the named Spain international, any transfer timetable, and the managerial appointment he says was already decided. If Riquelme does not win, his pledge becomes an unfulfilled campaign promise.