A photograph of Nelson Mandela with the message «Everything seems impossible until it is done» He has accompanied Juanma Morales in his office for many years. And now he wants to prove that Mandela was right in his attempt to preside over the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
He is an impossible candidate, but he wants to stop being one. The first test is to obtain the 21 guarantees necessary to achieve it and he sees himself capable, although he is aware of the difficulty. No one from outside of football has achieved it and he wants to be the first.
«Surely there is only one thing in life, which is death. We don’t know if we are going to get 21 endorsements, but we have full confidence. “We are talking and listening to the groups to gain the trust of the world of football, which wants change,” says Morales.
Change is a word that repeats itself. Morales is CEO of the IFA Group and has previous experience in Coca Cola and other companies, but he has surrounded himself with football people. At his side were the former soccer players Amanda Sampedro and Virginia Torrecillain addition to a world champion like David Silva and Luis Millaformer player for Barcelona and Real Madrid among others, as well as European under-21 champion as a coach. For futsal it has another world champion, Julio García Mera, and with Julián Melero, in addition to a team of collaborators with management experience. Futsal, women’s football and non-professional football are some of the fields in which change seems most urgent.
Morales presents himself with a program based on three concepts: good governance, social impact and economic development. “Every euro that we are able to generate will revert to football and especially non-professional football,” says the candidate.
“I am here because Our football deserves better and our athletes deserve to have a Federation at their level.. Many times we complain about things but rarely take a step to solve them. I leave a lot of things behind, but it is the easiest decision I have ever made in my life. “I am convinced of what I should do,” he says.
Morales and his candidacy see themselves capable of generating one hundred million more euros for the RFEF in the first term, until 2028. He would also not like to continue in office much longer. «I have no intention of being in the Federation beyond two terms. If we manage to do it well, taking into account that we have a World Cup in 2030, I will not continue beyond eight years because the institutions have to be renewed,” he warns.
The 2030 World Cup is the great objective that the Federation has in the coming years. «You may be at risk and that is something that worries us», he assures.
A year before the contract with Arabia for the celebration of the Super Cup ends. Morales wants him to return to Spain.
The keys to your program
►Serious and transparent management is the basis of Juanma Morales’ program. He prefers that the limelight be for the athletes.
►«We must recover the image and reputation of the RFEF. We should talk about grassroots football and not about the scandals we have had, take a leap forward and begin to convey another image,” says Morales.
►Women’s soccer, futsal and modest soccer are some of their great concerns.
►Luis de la Fuente is his coach “and everyone’s coach.” “The numbers support him,” he says. And he was the second one who earned the least in the Euro Cup.
