Florentino Perez has been re-elected president of Real Madrid by a decisive margin, securing another term at the helm of the Spanish giants and clearing the way for the expected return of Jose Mourinho as manager.
The 79-year-old, who has led the club for a combined 23 years across two spells, won 65% of the votes cast by around 100,000 club members, known as socios. He defeated challenger Enrique Riquelme, 37, according to results announced by the club late on Sunday.
“We have won the elections and will continue working to keep winning titles,” Perez said in his victory speech.
The result is expected to pave the way for Mourinho’s appointment as Real Madrid manager, with an announcement anticipated as early as Monday.
The Portuguese coach would return to the Santiago Bernabéu 13 years after leaving the club. Reports suggest Real Madrid will pay his current club, Benfica, a release fee of €15 million ($17.25 million).
Perez also highlighted the club’s stadium redevelopment project during his speech.
“We will continue to take pride in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, the best stadium in the world,” he said.
“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.”
Mourinho first took charge of Real Madrid in 2010 and spent three seasons at the club. During that period, he won one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey and one Spanish Super Cup, while overseeing a fierce rivalry with Pep Guardiola’s FC Barcelona.
His expected return would represent a significant decision by Perez after Real Madrid ended the 2025-26 season without a major trophy, marking a second consecutive campaign without silverware.
Last week, Mourinho appeared briefly in a video shared on Perez’s official campaign Instagram account. Wearing a Real Madrid shirt, he responded with a single word when asked about a return: “Yes.”
Riquelme, meanwhile, had centred part of his campaign on a pledge to sign Erling Haaland from Manchester City if elected president.
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