Vamos, @RafaelNadal!
As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional.
Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me—a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could. On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game—even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge.
I’m not a very superstitious person, but you took it to the next level. Your whole process. All those rituals. Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation, fixing your hair, adjusting your underwear... All of it with the highest intensity. Secretly, I kind of loved the whole thing. Because it was so unique—it was so you.
And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more.
OK, maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was—until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly. All that buzz I’d been hearing about you—about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday—it wasn’t just hype.
We were both at the start of our journey and it’s one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you’ve had. Including 14 French Opens—historic! You made Spain proud... you made the whole tennis world proud.
I keep thinking about the memories we’ve shared. Promoting the sport together. Playing that match on half-grass, half-clay. Breaking the all-time attendance record by playing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa. Always cracking each other up. Wearing each other out on the court and then, sometimes, almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremonies.
I’m still grateful you invited me to Mallorca to help launch the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2016. Actually, I kind of invited myself. I knew you were too polite to insist on me being there, but I didn’t want to miss it. You have always been a role model for kids around the world, and Mirka and I are so glad that our children have all trained at your academies. They had a blast and learned so much—like thousands of other young players. Although I always worried my kids would come home playing tennis as lefties.
And then there was London—the Laver Cup in 2022. My final match. It meant everything to me that you were there by my side—not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career.
Rafa, I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career. We will talk when it’s done. For now, I just want to congratulate your family and team, who all played a massive role in your success. And I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.
Rafa that!
Best always, your fan,
Roger
Con el tiempo le daremos valor a lo que hemos conseguido. Sois el orgullo de mucha gente. Sois increíbles. Que orgullo ser vuestro entrenador. GRACIAS por tanto.
#ambelverdalcor
#FutbolBase • 💚 Derrota en la final dels Campionats de Catalunya base.
⚽️ @FCBmasia 3-0 Sub 10 A
🥈 Els verds han competit a màxim nivell però no han aconseguit superar el seu rival. Treball excel•lent. ORGULL! 👏🏻🤩
#FundacióUEC#Ambelverdalcor 💚
#FutbolBase • 🔥💪🏻 𝗟𝗔 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟! 💚
🔜 Aquest diumenge a Manresa, el Sub 10 A disputa la GRAN FINAL dels Campionats de Catalunya Base! 🤩
🟢 SOM-HI! HO ACONSEGUIREM! 🏆
🆚 @FCBmasia
📍Estadi El Congost
🕒 11:45h
📺 https://t.co/RNQ2Hw5iLP
#Ambelverdalcor 💚
#FutbolBase • 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗦! 🔝💚
🏆 La #FundacióUEC es troba entre els tres únics equips de Catalunya que aconsegueix classificar tots els seus equips de F7 (categoria Preferent) per disputar 𝗖𝗢𝗣𝗔 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗬𝗔! 😍
#Ambelverdalcor 💚
🎥😍 𝙌𝙐𝙄𝙉𝘼 𝙈𝙀𝙍𝘼𝙑𝙀𝙇𝙇𝘼❗️
🗂️ 𝑃𝘙𝐸𝘚𝐸𝘕𝑇𝘈𝐶𝘐Ó 2023/2024
👏🏻🟢 Un esdeveniment a l’alçada de dues entitats, #UECornellà i @fundaciouec, referència en futbol formatiu de màxim nivell! 🤩
🫶🏻 Sempre amb il•lusió, dedicació i passió per l’esport!
#Ambelverdalcor 💚
#FutbolBase • 🤩 Torna la rutina habitual a la #FundacióUEC! ⚽️
📸 Imatges: Sub 11 A, Sub 10 A i Sub 12 A!
ℹ️ Així queden aquest curs les categories de F-7:
🟢 Sub 12: alevins 2n any
🟢 Sub 11: alevins 1r any
🟢 Sub 10: benj. 2n any
🟢 Sub 9: benj. 1r any
#Ambelverdalcor 💚
#FutbolBase • ❌🏆 El Benjamí B es va quedar a les portes de la final del Campionat de Catalunya després de caure a semifinals 🆚 @FCBmasia (3️⃣-2️⃣).
💪🏻 Enhorabona a tot l'equip per la gran feina realitzada durant la temporada! 😉
#FundacióUEC#Ambelverdalcor 💚
#FutbolBase • 🔛 Següent ronda! 👏🏻
🏆 El Benjamí B va estrenar el seu Campionat de Catalunya amb una contundent victòria 🆚 @CFDamm (1️⃣-7️⃣)! Continuem! 🔝
📌 El proper dissabte, torn per l’altre representant de la #FundacióUEC:
@RCDEFutbolBase 🆚 Aleví A
#Ambelverdalcor 💚
Hola, @gencat! 👋 Ens ha inspirat aquesta "nova campanya" 😜. Estem segurs que no ens heu avisat perquè sabíeu que aquests dies estàvem enfeinats. Hem fet algunes millores que segur que us agradaran. 😁
#FeeltheColours, 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 🙌 | #RCDE
⚽️ ¡La @FundacioUEC triunfa en la #EndekaCup!
🏆 La edición benjamín 2013 ya tiene su primer palmarés.
🙌 ¡Queremos agradecer a todas todas las entidades por su asistencia y su compromiso en el campo! ¡Hasta la próxima!💛
·
ℹ️ ¡Infórmate!⤵️
https://t.co/ReoCcyIWnu
Molt agraïts a la @FCF_CAT per convidar-nos i deixar-nos compartir amb tots els entrenadors presents en el 10è dia de l'entrenador el nostre dia a dia al @GironaFC.
#DiaEntrenador
Es urgente que cualquier aficionado al fútbol entienda este mensaje que tiene el entrenador del Burgos. Espectacularmente explicado en apenas un minuto
📽️@HijodelfrioBcf