Rafael Nadal is having a dream 2022 season in every aspect. Earlier this year, he became the first man to lift 21 Grand Slam singles titles. The Spanish legend defeated Daniil Medvedev to lift the Australian Open title. Further, he continued his winning momentum in Grand Slam tournaments, as he prevailed over Casper Ruud in the finals to win the French Open crown.

Apart from his success in tennis, it has been a memorable season for Nadal’s boyhood soccer club, Real Madrid. The Spanish giants won the La Liga and the UEFA Champions League titles. Nadal has described how dedicated he is as a fan of Real Madrid.

Rafael Nadal on his love for Real Madrid

The 22-time Grand Slam champion has talked about his love for soccer and watching Real Madrid play in his book, Rafa: My Story. Talking about this, he said, “Football was my passion as a child, and remains so today. I can be at a tournament in Australia or Bangkok, and if there is a big Real Madrid game on TV at five in the morning, I’ll wake up to watch it-even, sometimes, if I have a match on later that day. And I’ll build my day’s training program, if need be, around the timing of the games.”

READ MORE: ‘Similar to Facetiming My Gran’ – Rafael Nadal’s Lack of Instagram Knowledge Was Once Hilariously Trolled by Andy Murray

Further, he added, “I’m a fanatic. My godfather remembers when I was four years old, how he would show me pictures of the shields of all the teams in the Spanish first division, and-to his amazement-I’d be able to put a name correctly to all of them.” 

Nadal attended the UEFA Champions League 2022 final

Earlier this year, Real Madrid took on Liverpool in the Champions League final. The match was held at the Stade de France in Paris. The final took place at the same time when the French Open was underway. However, it did not prevent Nadal from attending the final to cheer for his boyhood club.

Watch this story: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, and Others In The Greatest Comebacks in Tennis

Real Madrid eventually went on to win the tournament, beating Liverpool 1-0.