Enrique Riquelme (born 9 January 1989 in Cox, Spain) is a Spanish businessman. He is the founder of COX Energy, a company in the renewable energy field. In 2026, he announced his candidature for the Real Madrid presidency against current president Florentino Pérez.[1][2]
Real Madrid presidential candidacy
Riquelme announced his candidacy to run for President of Real Madrid on 21 May 2026[3] following current president Florentino Pérez's call for new board of directors elections. This was following a trophy-less season which saw the departure of manager Xabi Alonso midway through January and the appointment of Real Madrid Castilla manager Álvaro Arbeloa.[4] This is the first contested Real Madrid presidential election since 2006 with incumbent president Pérez being unopposed in the last five electoral cycles.[5][6]
During a television appearance on 3 June 2026, Riquelme presented a Real Madrid jersey which beared the last name of Erling Haaland on the back with Riquelme claiming that the Norwegian striker would join the club if he were elected president.[7] Riquelme further claimed that Haaland expressed desire to play for Real Madrid and had a release clause available despite his current contract tying him with Manchester City through 2034.[8] Both Haaland's father Alfie and his agent Rafaela Pimenta have denied the claims alongside Manchester City who expressed consideration for legal action.[9]
References
- ^ Cortegana, Mario; Rai, Guillermo (26 May 2026). "Enrique Riquelme interview on his Real Madrid: 'A new manager, and two signings already agreed'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ^ "Real Madrid: Enrique Riquelme outlines plans as he launches presidential campaign". BBC Sport. 27 May 2026. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ^ Barlow, Ruairidh (2026-05-21). "Real Madrid elections on: Florentino Perez rival to run". Football España. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
- ^ Daily, The Chosun (2026-05-25). "Real Madrid Concludes Troubled Season Without Trophies". The Chosun Daily. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
- ^ Leveridge, Sam. "The Ultimate Guide To Real Madrid's 2026 Presidential Election". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
- ^ "Real Madrid to hold 1st presidential election in 20 years". www.espn.com. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
- ^ "Erling Haaland: Man City threaten legal action over Real Madrid candidate's transfer claim". BBC Sport. 2026-06-04. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
- ^ Ornstein, David (2025-01-22). "Erling Haaland signs new nine-and-a-half-year Manchester City contract". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
- ^ Jackson, Jamie (2026-06-04). "Manchester City threaten to sue Real Madrid presidential hopeful over Haaland". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
External links
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