**BREAKING NEWS: Juan Roig, president of Mercadona, personally invites Rafael Nadal to the Spanish Future Charity Gala with a solidarity fund of 10 million dollars – The tennis player’s unexpected response moves the entire world**
January 12, 2026 – Valencia, Spain
The world of sports, business and philanthropy has been shaken this morning by an announcement that combines economic power, human values and pure emotion.
Juan Roig, president and founder of Mercadona – the most important supermarket chain in Spain and one of the most admired companies in the country – has made public that he has extended a very personal invitation to Rafael Nadal to participate as a central figure in the **Spanish Future Charity Gala**, an international charity event that will be held in Valencia next June.
The project is ambitious and concrete: an initial solidarity fund of **10 million dollars** (approximately 9.6 million euros at the current exchange rate) destined entirely to the construction of schools and children’s hospitals in rural areas and disadvantaged communities in Spain.
The stated objective is to “strengthen education and access to quality healthcare for the children who need it most,” according to the official statement issued by the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation – Mercadona’s philanthropic arm – and personally supported by Roig.
In words full of admiration, Juan Roig explained the choice of Nadal as the protagonist of the event:
“Rafael Nadal embodies values such as effort, humility and social commitment. He is a model for our country and for the world. His presence will give international visibility to such an urgent and necessary cause.
It’s not just about money: it’s about inspiring Spanish society to believe that together we can change the lives of thousands of children.”
The news has spread like wildfire. In just three hours, the hashtag #NadalRoig and #SpanishFutureCharity Gala have reached the top 1 in the world in X (Twitter) trends, with more than 3.7 million mentions.
Thousands of users have applauded the initiative with messages such as “Two Spanish giants joining forces for the most vulnerable”, “This is real Spain” or “Rafa, say yes, please”. Even international figures such as Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz have shared the statement with supportive comments.
However, what really blew up the internet and caused tears in thousands of homes was not the invitation itself… but Rafael Nadal’s response.
Just two hours after Mercadona’s official announcement, the Manacoran tennis player published a video on his Instagram account that already exceeds 28 million views. In it he appears sitting in his academy in Manacor, staring at the camera and his voice broken with emotion.
There is no background music. There are no effects. Just him, speaking from the heart.
“Juan Roig called me yesterday on the phone. It was not a formal business call. It was a conversation between two people who want the same thing: to help children who do not have the opportunities that we have had. He told me that the fund is not just money, it is hope.
And he asked me to be there, not as a star, but as one more who believes in this.”
Nadal took a long pause. It was evident that he was fighting to hold back his tears.
“I thought about my nephews, about my son, about all the children who train at my academy and who are lucky enough to have a racket and a court. And then I thought about those other children who do not have a school or a doctor nearby. I cannot sit idly by.”
Then came the phrase that has made thousands cry:
**”Not only do I accept the invitation. I am going to donate my entire prize money from Wimbledon 2026 – whatever it may be – to this cause. Because if I have won anything in life, it is thanks to the people who believed in me when I was a child with an old racket. Now I have to give it back.”**
The video ends with Nadal looking directly at the camera and saying, with a broken voice: “Thank you, Juan. Thank you to all of you who are already donating. And thank you to the children who teach us every day what really matters.”
In a matter of minutes, the networks were flooded with messages. From politicians like Pedro Sánchez (“An example of commitment and greatness”) to athletes like Pau Gasol (“Proud of you, Rafa”) and artists like Alejandro Sanz (“This is what makes Spain great”).
The Trinidad Alfonso Foundation website collapsed at times due to the avalanche of donations: in the first six hours more than an additional 2.3 million euros were raised.
Juan Roig’s response was immediate. The Valencian businessman, known for his discretion, published a brief statement: “Rafa has not only said yes. He has set the bar so high that it forces us all to be better. Thank you for your generosity.
“This is no longer just an event: it is a movement.”
The Spanish Future Charity Gala is no longer just a charity event. It has become a symbol.
Great figures from sports (from Carlos Alcaraz to Pau Gasol), from cinema (Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas have already confirmed their presence) and from business (Roig himself has invited the main Spanish businessmen to join the fund) are expected to attend.
For Nadal, who announced his final retirement from professional tennis in 2024 after two decades of injuries and epic battles, this gesture represents much more than a public appearance.
It is his way of closing a cycle: from the boy who dreamed of being a champion to the man who now uses his fame to change lives.
As the world continues to share the video, cry with it, and donate, one thing becomes clear: sometimes the greatest victories are not measured in trophies, but in promises kept and hearts opened.
Rafa didn’t just win games. Rafa is gaining something much bigger: hope.
