‘I've been a Real Madrid fan since I was six’ — LaLiga president pledges loyalty to Barcelona’s rivals

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has delivered an emotional defence of his loyalty to Real Madrid after a club assembly member proposed declaring him persona non grata.

Despite scattered applause supporting the idea, Tebas says the episode left him with “sadness” rather than anger.

Responding on social media, Tebas made it clear that his commitment to Real Madrid stretches back nearly his entire life.

He revealed, "I've been a [Real] Madrid fan since I was six. No one imposed it on me; I chose it. Madridismo doesn’t come from a membership card or a seat in the directors’ box. It comes from millions of anonymous fans who suffer and celebrate with their team.”

The LaLiga boss expressed frustration over accusations labelling him anti-Madrid, calling such claims painful and unfounded.

Instead, he argued that his decisions are rooted in his desire to see a strong, competitive league that benefits every team, including Real Madrid themselves. Without a healthy ecosystem, Tebas warned, even Europe’s most successful clubs risk losing their shine.

He also took aim at Real Madrid’s current leadership, criticising what he described as “mega-projects” that weaken the very league structure that helped the club grow into a global powerhouse. According to Tebas, defending LaLiga is directly tied to defending Real Madrid’s legacy and future.

Tebas ended his statement with a defiant message, stressing that no amount of political manoeuvring or public criticism can erase his decades-long bond with the club.

Even if some seek to push him out of the Real Madrid narrative, he insists that his passion for the team remains unchanged.

“They can call me ‘persona non grata.’ They can try to erase me,” he wrote. “But they cannot erase what I’ve felt since I was six.”

For Tebas, his continued leadership of LaLiga and the reforms he champions are part of defending the wider football ecosystem that allowed Real Madrid to reach the heights they enjoy today.