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Florentino Perez has secured a decisive victory to remain president of Real Madrid, winning 65 per cent of votes from approximately 100,000 “socio” members.
The 79-year-old, who has presided over the club for 23 years across two separate terms, defeated 37-year-old challenger Enrique Riquelme in an election the club announced late Sunday.
“We have won the elections and will continue working to keep winning titles,” Perez said during his victory speech, signalling continuity at the Spanish giants.
His win paves the way for Jose Mourinho’s return as Real Madrid manager, with the Portuguese coach expected to be formally announced as early as Monday.
Mourinho’s return comes 13 years after his first spell at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he spent three seasons between 2010 and 2013. During that period, he secured a La Liga championship, a Copa del Rey, and a Spanish Super Cup, and clashed with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona amid intense rivalry.
Real Madrid reportedly paid Mourinho’s current club, Benfica, a 15 million euro ($17.25 million) release fee to secure his services.
“Proud to have the best players in the world, proud to welcome back one of the best coaches in the world, a Madridista like Jose Mourinho. We will continue to take pride in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, the best stadium in the world,” Perez said after his win, highlighting the symbolic importance of Mourinho’s return.
While Mourinho’s appointment represents a high-profile move, it also carries risk, with Real Madrid coming off a second consecutive trophy-less season.
Meanwhile, Riquelme had promised ambitious signings, including Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland, had he won.
A brief campaign video last week showed Mourinho in a Real Madrid shirt, simply saying, “Yes,” to confirm his willingness to return to the club.
