Rafael Nadal joins forces with Pep Guardiola for unique sporting challenge

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal and soccer coach Pep Guardiola are teaming up for a charity golf event in Mallorca, along with football stars and La Liga players.

Chirag

May 29, 2024

Pep Guardiola And Rafael Nadal — Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images and Franco Arland/Getty Images

Tennis icon Nadal and revered soccer coach Guardiola are joining forces for a charitable golf event set to take place at Mallorca’s Pula Golf Resort and Son Servera Golf Club from June 12-14. This event aims to raise significant funds for ALS and multiple sclerosis charities.

Accompanying them will be football legends such as Sweden’s Henrik Larsson, Argentina’s Gabriel Batistuta, and Liverpool’s John Arne Riise. Also attending will be Barcelona and Real Madrid stalwart Bernd Schuster, along with compatriots Uli Stielike and Bordeaux manager Albert Riera, who had notable stints in the Premier League.

Active La Liga stars including Barcelona’s Marcos Alonso and Villarreal’s Pepe Reina, alongside Manu Trigueros, will participate. Nadal’s uncles, Miguel Ángel and former coach Toni, will join him on the course.

Representing France will be former World Cup winner Alain Boghossian, while Danish businessman Flemming Østergaard, former chairman of the company that owns FC Copenhagen, is also expected.

A slew of Italian ex-footballers, including former AC Milan stars Mauro Tassotti, Roberto Donadoni, and Stefano Nava, will also add to the soccer contingent.

Nadal’s enthusiasm for golf suggests he may dedicate more time to the sport post-tennis career. His love for golf stems from its unique challenges, paralleling some aspects of tennis.

Nadal’s longtime rival Novak Djokovic, also an avid golfer, showcased his golfing skills at a Pro-Am event before the Ryder Cup last year. Djokovic’s increasing involvement in golf over recent months suggests a potential future matchup with Nadal on the golf course.

Speculation about the end of Djokovic’s tennis career has grown as his form has faltered in 2024. Meanwhile, Nadal’s recent exit from the French Open hints at a nearing conclusion to his tennis journey. While he aims for a final appearance at Roland Garros for this summer’s Olympics, his future on the golf course remains intriguing.