Florentino Pérez has propelled Real Madrid back onto the global stage. Across his two tenures as the club’s leader, he has amassed an astonishing 57 titles, including 6 UEFA Champions League trophies in football and 3 in basketball. Under his stewardship, the financial revival of the club has transformed it into the world’s wealthiest, accomplishing a profound transformation at every level, earning Real Madrid the title of the “world’s most valuable sports club,” according to Forbes magazine.
As an engineer and entrepreneur, Florentino Pérez assumed the presidency in July 2000 after surpassing Lorenzo Sanz, the then-head of the club. Under his leadership, superstar signings like Figo, Zidane, Beckham, and Ronaldo graced the field. His vision and investment have propelled both the football and basketball teams to claim a total of eight championships.
The initial phase of his leadership was marked by significant improvements to the stadium through the ‘Santiago Bernabéu Masterplan.’ The arena was acknowledged by UEFA as an ‘Elite Stadium’ and hosted the Champions League final in 2010. In 2006, Ciudad Real Madrid—a training complex over ten times the size of its predecessors—was inaugurated at Valdebebas.
Pérez was re-elected with a majority in 2004, before voluntarily stepping down two years later. In 2009, he returned to commence his second term with a sports-themed transformation, securing signings such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, James Rodríguez, and Toni Kroos. Among the silverware raised during his tenure are 5 UEFA Champions League titles (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2022) and 5 Club World Cup victories. In addition to these triumphs, the team secured 4 national championships, 4 UEFA Super Cups, 3 Copa del Rey titles, and 4 Spanish Super Cups. The basketball squad also experienced domestic and international glory, capturing a pair of European Cups, a Continental Cup, six tournament championships, six Copa del Rey trophies, and seven Spanish Super Cups.
Florentino Pérez has navigated over a decade of club leadership and continues the modernization journey by constructing residential facilities for the first team and the academy within Ciudad Real Madrid. His enduring commitment has solidified his legacy as a visionary leader who revitalized Real Madrid’s legacy on and off the field.
