Florentino Pérez has closed his campaign for the presidency of Real Madrid with a speech of high political and electoral voltage, less than 24 hours before the members go to the polls to elect a president. The current white president focused his speech on three ideas: the sovereignty of the member, the defense of his management, and direct criticism of Enrique Riquelme's candidacy.
The event was held at the Eurobuilding hotel in Madrid before more than a hundred members and with a strong symbolic component. Florentino was received with applause, with the anthem of La Décima as the soundtrack and a video that reviewed some of the most relevant moments of his mandates at the head of the club.
The Real Madrid electoral campaign thus reaches its final stretch with a particularly intense tone. Florentino Pérez seeks to revalidate his position against Enrique Riquelme, the first electoral rival of substance he has faced in more than two decades.
Florentino appeals to the members' vote
The central axis of Florentino Pérez's speech was the defense of the member's role as owner of Real Madrid. The president insisted that the elections this Sunday demonstrate that the club belongs to its members and that they are the ones who must decide the future of the entity.
"These elections show that the member is the sole owner of our club," he stated during his speech, in a message intended to reinforce one of the central lines of his candidacy: institutional continuity, social control of the club, and rejection of any model that, according to his interpretation, could jeopardize the members' ownership.
Florentino also recalled his arrival to the presidency in the year 2000 and the personal guarantee that, as he explained, he had to assume to respond to the club's economic situation. He presented that episode as proof of commitment to Real Madrid and as one of the pillars of his legitimacy before the members.
Criticism of Riquelme's candidacy
The harshest part of the speech came when Florentino referred to the rival candidacy, although he avoided mentioning Enrique Riquelme by name directly in some parts.
The white president questioned the electoral promises of his adversary, especially those related to high-impact signings. In recent days, Riquelme has placed names like Erling Haaland and Rodri Hernández within his sporting project, while Florentino has responded with José Mourinho, Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, and a major operation yet to be revealed.
Florentino accused the rival candidacy of using advertisements and messages that, in his opinion, can confuse the member. "The members of Real Madrid will not allow lies, not everything goes," he said at one of the toughest moments of the event.
The phrase about mascots and El Hormiguero
One of the most charged passages of the speech was his reference to Riquelme's appearance on El Hormiguero and the moment when a possible mascot for Real Madrid was discussed.
Florentino maintained that a club president must protect its symbols and avoid situations that could be interpreted as a mockery of the crest. "A Real Madrid president cannot laugh with a presenter who insults us with mascots chosen by anti-Madridistas," he stated.
The phrase summarizes the tone of the campaign closing: a mix of institutional defense of the club, reproach to the rival, and emotional appeal to madridismo.
The Haaland case and the signing battle
The signing of Erling Haaland has become one of the main hot topics of the campaign. Riquelme presented the Norwegian striker as one of his major electoral promises, while the player's camp and Manchester City have reportedly downplayed or denied this possibility, according to various media outlets.
Florentino used this episode to defend his own management model. "I don't present them with jerseys for a presenter to do his show. I bring the best players in the world to Real Madrid. What I promise, I deliver," he stated.
The message seeks to contrast Florentino's experience in major market operations with Riquelme's impact strategy, which has attempted to shake up the campaign with top-tier individual names.
Mourinho, Konaté, Dumfries, and a pending signing
The closing event also included references to Florentino Pérez's sporting project. In the initial video, José Mourinho, Ibrahima Konaté, and Denzel Dumfries appeared, three names associated with his candidacy for the new cycle.
Mourinho represents the return of an authority figure to the bench. Konaté and Dumfries point to a defensive reconstruction after a complicated season. And the third unrevealed face fuels expectations about the big operation that Florentino has promised to attempt after the elections.
The current president's candidacy wants to convey a clear idea: experience in management, concrete signings, and a commitment to returning the team to the competitive forefront.
Pope Leo XIV and the Madrid nod
Before diving into the electoral discourse, Florentino Pérez also had a few words for Pope Leo XIV, who is arriving in Madrid this weekend and is scheduled to visit the Santiago Bernabéu on Monday.
The white president assured that the Pontiff had said on the plane that he was a Real Madrid fan and called that gesture "a pride and an honor" for the club.
The reference served as an emotional start to the event and connected with another of the elements of these days: the Pope's visit to Spain and his stop at the Bernabéu, which has also placed the stadium at the center of the institutional agenda.
The economic referendum for the members
In the final stretch, Florentino brought back one of his most important proposals: to call a referendum for the members to decide on any significant statutory modification.
The president defended that the members should be owners not only sentimentally but also economically. His idea is to reinforce the patrimonial link of the social mass with the club and submit relevant changes to a vote.
That approach has been one of the main underlying themes of the campaign. It's not just about signings or coaches, but about Real Madrid's institutional model for the coming years.
The defense of economic management
Florentino also defended the club's economic figures. He assured that Real Madrid leads the main international rankings for value and revenue and recalled that the club expects to reach 1.250 billion euros in turnover this season.
Furthermore, he reiterated the goal of reaching 2 billion euros in revenue in the coming years, a figure he uses as an argument to defend the club's growth and the new role of the Santiago Bernabéu as a major economic engine.
Faced with criticism from the rival candidacy, Florentino presented Real Madrid's economic situation as one of the great assets of his mandate.
The Negreira case returns to the campaign
The president of Real Madrid also mentioned the Negreira case again, which has occupied a relevant place in his recent interventions.
Florentino argued that the club must see this matter through to the end and criticized those who, in his opinion, have not maintained the same firmness. His message was clear: Real Madrid must act to defend its interests and demand explanations for one of the biggest scandals in Spanish football.
The reference to the Negreira case connected with another of his campaign lines: presenting his candidacy as a guarantee of institutional defense of the club against external threats.
The youth academy and the "DNA" of Real Madrid
Florentino also championed the role of the youth academy. He recalled that Real Madrid's youth team has won the treble with the Youth League, the League, and the Cup, and used that fact to respond to those who question the club's sporting model.
"Our DNA is to never give up and to have respect for who we are," he stated.
The message attempts to balance two aspects: the policy of big signings and the defense of the club's formative structure. A common combination in Florentino's narrative, which presents Real Madrid as an entity capable of attracting stars and developing its own talent.
The elections are decided this Sunday
Real Madrid members vote this Sunday at the Ciudad Real Madrid, in Valdebebas. The polls will be open from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM and the day will decide whether Florentino Pérez continues at the helm of the club or if Enrique Riquelme manages to open a new era.
The campaign comes to an end with two opposing models. Florentino defends continuity, experience, major operations already outlined, and an institutional reform subject to a referendum. Riquelme proposes renewal, changes in management, and impactful signings to shake up the immediate future.