Who is Real Madrid’s president Florentino Pérez and what’s his net worth?

Florentino Pérez has been one of the most influential figures in Real Madrid history. In terms of silverware, he is the most successful president in the club’s history with the men’s soccer team having won a total of 37 titles during the 23 years he has been at the helm - superseding the 33 won under the stewardship of another of the club’s iconic figures, Santiago Bernabéu.

The 79-year-old is one of just two men to have been voted in to occupy the president’s seat in two separate tenures - the other being Adolfo Meléndez (1908-16 and 1939-40).

While he will attend home games and some of the more important away matches, the president tends to keep out of the limelight. He does not normally appear on television or radio without it being absolutely necessary, something which has created an air of mystery about the man at the top of arguably the biggest club in the world.

Here’s everything you need to know about the figure behind Real Madrid’s modern success...

When did Florentino Pérez become Real Madrid president?

Florentino Pérez is the CEO of Spain’s largest construction company: Grupo ACS. He has been the CEO of the firm since its inception in 1997 and now holds a 14.56% stake in the publicly-traded construction company.

He briefly worked for the Madrid city council before moving to Spain’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport and eventually the private sector in 1983.

Pérez became the Real Madrid president in the year 2000, replacing Lorenzo Sanz. He had secured the win after an extraordinary campaign in which he promised to sign Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or holder Luis Figo for a world-record fee - a promise which he kept.

Florentino beat Sanz in the fan vote and immediately started the Galáctico project, a period of time in which Los Blancos signed not only top talent but top profiles, projecting them as the most glamorous club in the world with one superstar signing per summer.

Luis Figo was signed for a world-record €62 million ($67m). The following year, Zinedine Zidane joined from Juventus for a record €77.5 million ($91 million). Ronaldo Nazário followed in 2002 and David Beckham in 2003.

Florentino embarks on second stint after trophy failure

Despite having a team full of superstars, success out on the pitch didn’t materialize in the way he had hoped. Bringing in the world’s best attacking talent had its upsides, but the team was unbalanced and ultimately flawed, with Madrid winning comparatively very little: from the 2003–04 season onward, the club failed to win a trophy and Pérez resigned in February 2006.

His first stint as president of the Spanish club came to an end and lawyer Ramón Calderón took over. However, little changed. The team won two league titles and the Spanish Supercup but Calderón was forced to step down in January 2009 following allegations of irregularities in the voting process. Vicente Boluda took over on an interim basis until Florentino returned, as the only candidate in the summer.

He had learned his lessons and despite signing big - Kaká, Xabi Alonso, Álvaro Arbeloa, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo were signed that summer - things were more measured and planned, with Real Madrid embarking on a new era of success.

As far as the Champions League goes, it has been the undisputed obsession of Real Madrid under Pérez, who has presided over famous trophy wins such as the coveted Décima, Real Madrid’s tenth European Cup, won in Lisbon with the help of Sergio Ramos’ late header to draw level with Atlético. Over the course of nine seasons from 2013 to 2022, Real Madrid have had a period of unprecedented success, winning five Champions League titles. Lessons have clearly been learned.

What is Florentino Pérez’s net worth?

Forbes claims Florentino Pérez’s net worth standing at $7.2 billion, an 8% increase from last year. They add that Real Madrid, “is worth more than $6.75 billion” - almost a 17% rise during the last two years.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.