‘A sad day’ – Real Madrid presidential hopeful demands change after historic World Cup squad snub | OneFootball

The growing tension around Real Madrid ahead of the presidential elections has now intensified even further after presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme reacted strongly to Spain’s latest World Cup squad announcement.

For the first time in 16 World Cups, no Real Madrid player was included in the Spain national football team squad.

Speaking in a recent public appearance, Riquelme made it clear that he sees the situation as deeply damaging for the club’s image and sporting direction.

A worrying sign for Real Madrid

Addressing the absence of Real Madrid players in the national setup, the businessman did not hide his disappointment. 

He described the moment as one that should concern everyone connected to the club.

Enrique Riquelme has expressed his frustration. (Picture credit: Instagram/@enriqueriquelmev)

“It’s a rather sad day for Real Madrid, which has had no players called up for the first time in 16 World Cups. 

“It’s a worrying situation that we hope will never happen again,” he said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

About the elections

Riquelme also used the opportunity to speak about the upcoming elections and the importance of opening the club to wider discussion. 

According to him, too few voices have had the opportunity to challenge the current leadership structure over the past two decades.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Enrique Riquelme (@enriqueriquelmev)

“Unfortunately, those who want to can’t, and those who can haven’t wanted to. 

“For the first time in 20 years, both conditions have come together after all the requirements have been met,” he added.

The presidential candidate also stressed that he views the current election process as something extremely important for the future of the institution.

“Now we are calling for a debate so that members can hear each of the proposals, what the Madrid of the future looks like, and for that, a debate is needed,” he concluded.