Rafael Nadal’s love for Real Madrid reaches new heights as Madrid open TD reveals Rafa’s ‘special request’
Ava Arnold
Updated on March 31, 2026
Rafael Nadal is the only player in the history of men’s tennis to have won 21 Grand Slams titles. But what many don’t know is that it could very well have not happened at all if the Spaniard had picked a very different sport, to begin with. Much can be credited to his uncle Miguel Ángel Nadal, a former Spanish national team player who also represented Spanish football clubs Barcelona and RCD Mallorca.
Had it not been for his father Sebastián Nadal Homar, a businessman by profession, Rafa could have continued with the two sports. Upon his father’s insistence, Rafa was forced to choose one sport and the Mallorcan opted for tennis as his uncle Toni was also present with him full-time to guide and coach in the sport.
Rafa is a huge fan of football not just as a spectator, but also as a player. His love for football proved so great that Madrid Open tournament director Feliciano Lopez revealed that he had received a request from the legend himself to not keep the match on the evening of the Real Madrid match.
Rafael Nadal and his love for Real Madrid
If Nadal could pick two sports, the other one would have undoubtedly been football. After all, the Spaniard is a huge fan of Real Madrid and asked the Madrid open tournament director and longtime friend Feliciano to not keep his match on the evening of the day when the semi-finals of the Real Madrid and Manchester City are scheduled in the second-leg of the UEFA Champions League, one of the most prestigious tournaments in club football.
“Rafa likes to play during the day in Madrid because the ball bounces higher for him, and with the Champions League semi-final, he asked us not to play at the same time as the game,” said Feliciano Lopez as per welovetennis.
The Spaniard has been an honorary member of the Real Madrid club since 2014 and has helped in recruiting star forward Marco Asensio and was also open to becoming the president of the club in the year 2017. This year the Spaniard got the chance for an honorary kick-off between Real Madrid and Espanyol in the La Liga tournament on the 34th match day.
