Enrique Riquelme signs up Iker Casillas, third Real Madrid legend

Raúl, Fernando Hierro and Iker Casillas are the three key figures Enrique Riquelme has chosen to shape the leadership structure of Real Madrid if he wins Sunday’s presidential election. He has dubbed them his “captains’ trio,” a symbolic core designed to restore what he calls the club’s authentic Madrid identity inside the Santiago Bernabéu.

The former legends would take on senior executive roles across the club. Raúl would serve as sporting director, while Hierro would oversee La Fábrica, Real Madrid’s academy system. Casillas is also included in the plan, although his exact position has not yet been defined. Riquelme has promised it would be a “top-level role” within the organization.

A key pillar of the proposal is a hybrid sporting model that blends elite signings with homegrown talent.

‘Build galácticos and produce galácticos’

The initiative has been a central theme of Riquelme’s campaign, which focuses on integrating historic club figures into decision-making roles while strengthening the academy pipeline.

“We want a model that combines signing galácticos and producing galácticos,” Riquelme said.

The idea is to reinforce internal development at Valdebebas while still competing for the biggest stars in world soccer. In recent weeks, Riquelme has secured commitments from three of the club’s most iconic former players, with Casillas being the latest addition.

Casillas returns to the spotlight

Casillas’ inclusion marks a notable return to the club’s political and institutional orbit.

He previously served as deputy director at the Real Madrid Foundation. His departure from the club years ago was far from smooth. “My exit was traumatic,” he later said, describing it as a breakdown “like a marriage where everything is said in anger.”

In May 2019, Casillas suffered a myocardial infarction during a training session with Porto, an episode that brought him closer again to Florentino Pérez’s orbit. He officially rejoined the club’s structure on Dec. 22, 2020.

More recently, however, he had quietly stepped away from official duties without announcement, focusing on personal projects until now.

Letter to members outlines governance overhaul

Riquelme’s campaign confirmed Casillas’ involvement in a letter sent to club members on Thursday. In it, the candidate reiterated his push for “more transparency, more internal democracy, and more oversight of management,” aiming to place members back at the center of decision-making.

He also reaffirmed one of his core promises: protecting Real Madrid’s historic membership-owned model and preventing any entry of financial investors into the club’s ownership structure.

The campaign slogan sums up that stance: “Real Madrid is not for sale.”

That message is now backed by three of the club’s most recognizable modern legends. Raúl, Hierro and Casillas are officially part of the project. And with that, only one major decision remains if Riquelme wins: appointing the coach.

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