Just three days from Real Madrid’s elections and Florentino Perez’s certain victory is starting to look a little shaky.
The incumbent since 2009 made a shock election call on May 12th, seen as a consolidation of power after two trophyless campaigns.
What Perez probably didn’t expect, and everyone else certainly didn’t, is that he’d face a challenger.
37-year-old green energy billionaire Enrique Riquelme has stepped up to the plate, and despite being given no chance at all, there’s signs things are changing.
Riquelme’s bid was seen more as an effort for a future challenge rather than a serious attempt in 2026, but as time has progressed, the younger candidate is gathering more support.
He’s constantly been on the campaign trail on TV, radio, podcasts and YouTube, getting his message out while Perez only holds planned events and newspaper columns.
Perez has also refused to hold a public debate.
Now, in the final days, both are pitching their projects, and while Riquelme’s is harder to believe, it’s certainly bolder.
He’s announced club legends Raul (sporting director) and Fernando Hierro (academy director) in senior positions.
He’s also pitched a more likely signing of Rodri, while his unveiling of Manchester City teammate Erling Haaland has been rejected by the club and player.
On top of that, he’s expected to announce Jurgen Klopp or Mikel Arteta as his coach in the coming days, and will refund membership fees if the three don’t come off.
Perez, meanwhile, has announced Jose Mourinho as his coach, Ibrahima Konate as a free transfer and Nico Paz’s return from Como.
While that trio of deals are far more realistic, they’re also less impressive, and that’s reflected in some very worrying polling for Perez.
Three days before the election MARCA have canvassed fans, and it’s not looking good for the favourite.
Real Madrid polling on Perez vs Riquelme
Who do you think will win the Real Madrid presidential election?
Florentino Pérez—a landslide victory: 36%
Enrique Riquelme—a surprise upset: 33%
Florentino—but a narrow victory: 31%
Who is winning the campaign with three days left until the election?
Enrique Riquelme: 56%
Florentino Pérez: 44%
Could Enrique Riquelme’s announcement regarding Haaland change the course of the election?
Yes, it is the most powerful name any candidate could bring to the table: 63%
No, the majority will continue to place their trust in Florentino and the reinforcements he might bring in: 37%
Do you think José Mourinho is enough for Florentino to win over the undecided voters?
No, there are better coaches available, and a significant portion of the fanbase does not view him favourably: 79%
Yes, he is already a familiar figure at the club and represents the best option he could possibly bring in: 21%
Which coach could make Enrique Riquelme a winner against Florentino
Jürgen Klopp: 79%
Mikel Arteta: 12%
Someone else: 9%
What do the Real Madrid polls show
While the results still show Perez as the likely winner, they suggest that everything is to play for on the 7th, an outcome no one thought possible when the election was called.
However, this was run by MARCA, and although it’s the biggest sports website in Madrid, users will certainly skew younger due to it being an online poll, making it unrepresentative of the final member vote.
But there are certainly two important takeaways – one, Mourinho is far less popular than Perez could’ve imagined, and a decision that looked questionable from the outside is now looking the same from the inside.
Two, Riquelme’s campaign is based on his signings and at least two of them, Haaland and Klopp, are essentially impossible this summer, meaning if he does win he could quickly find himself in serious trouble with the members.
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