WATCH: Rafael Nadal does the honorary kick-off for Spanish soccer club CE Manacor for its centenary celebrations

WATCH: Rafael Nadal does the honorary kick-off for Spanish soccer club CE Manacor for its centenary celebrations

Rafael Nadal heading out to kick off the ball ahead of the match. (credits: Twitter, CNN)

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has been out of the sport for over ten months now. He is trying to recover from his long fight with knee injuries, and many fans believe that the day is not far away until the 22-time Grand Slam title champion puts a stop to his illustrious career. 

However, amidst his recovery, he has made guest appearances at several events and even football matches. After being called by his boyhood club Real Madrid a few months ago to kick off a game, he was invited by Spain’s fifth-tier football club CE Manacor, the very city where Nadal has one of his training facilities. 

YouTube video

A video was posted by the club’s official handle on Twitter, which featured him dressed in a classic all-black suit and heading toward the center line to kick off the game against Las Palmas in a packed stadium. 

FS Video

Considering that it was a Copa del Rey game between the lower-ranked sides in Spain, the match still featured a large crowd, with most of the reason behind Nadal’s presence in the match. The post reads:

Thank you @rafaelnadal for being present and for honoring our centenary and for the first round of the Copa del Rei 23-24‼️ We wait to see you on the runway.

Rafael Nadal’s love for football has no bound

It is no secret that Rafael Nadal loves playing and watching football. Being a Spaniard, it is not unusual to see a man who specializes in tennis get acquainted with football whenever he gets the chance.

Rafael Nadal in action during a charity football match. (credits: AGRIZ.IT)

He is also a die-hard Real Madrid fan and has been spotted in the stands of several important Champions League matches and several El Classicos supporting his boyhood club.

Apart from this, Nadal also possesses great finesse and skills in football, and the proofs are just a click away on the Internet. When he was young, he very often featured in football charity matches and even futsal games, following his love for the game.

Not that age is finally catching up with him; he is usually seen conversing with players and management staff of the football teams rather than sliding and sprinting on the football field.  

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