Rafael Nadal will have the honour of carrying the flag for the Spanish Olympic team at the Rio Games.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion was chosen by the Spanish Olympic Committee to lead the team at the opening ceremony on August 5.
The Rio Games will be Rafa’s third Olympics (Athens 2004, Beijing 2008).
Our champ was supposed to be the flag bearer at the 2012 London Olympics but got injured before the games and was replaced by NBA player Pau Gasol.
Congrats Rafa! We are so proud of you!
[UPDATED] Rafa on being named Spanish flag bearer for this summer Rio Olympic Games:
I would like to thank the Spanish Olympic Committee the opportunity to be the standard bearer in the Olympic Games in Rio.
I’m very excited. I hope the games will be great and that the entire Spanish team can do well, wish us luck.
just oodles of happy
RAFA fan forever
SOO happy for Rafas well deserved honor!
Vamos Rafa!
A great day for Rafa. Hope he’s feeling not just the support and admiration but the love he really has.
So happy for u Rafa u deserve it
Perfect ,Spain Honour Rafa ,and Rafa will be proudest Spaniard at the Olympics
VAMOS Rafa ,,,you sooooooooooooooo deserve this honour
Spain is so lucky to Rafa … He is such an example of an outstanding athlete and human being… I have never heard him curse or break a racket … He is humble and grounded… Just love him so much as a person and enjoy tennis so much because of him… Spain has chosen the right person to carry their flag … He will do so with honor and pride….
It is a funny story that Rafa actually cursed once during a match in Indian Wells this year. The chair heard him and issued a warning. Rafa was stunned and said that he had never done that before. It was so bizarre since just before Rafa’s match, Murray played with lots of foul language. He was not warned once. I like Andy, but do not like his behavior on court.
Spain could not have chosen a better athlete to do this honour for them ! He absolutely deserves to carry the flag and so pleased they have chosen Rafa for this role !!
Well done Rafa
Congratulations Rafa. You must be very proud and full of joy. You are much loved and admired.
I had a feeling you would be chosen to be Spain’s flag bearer at Rio.
RAFA ROCKS!
Very happy for Rafa!! So proud. Vamos Rafa!
This is a well-deserved honour. Congratulations, and thank you for continuing to be an exemplary role model.🇪🇸👑🏆❤️
This is so wonderful and will help boost Rafa’s spirit even more. I loved the story where Rafa was mobbed by other athletes at the 2008 Olympics because they wanted his autograph and photo. What more can you say about how honored he is by his peers?
He also recognised how difficult it was for athletes etc training for 4 years for little financial reward. He felt bad.
Delighted for you Rafa – you so deserve this honour. Always the perfect gentleman and a true sportsman.
Fantastic! He so deserves it.
I think 2016 is going to be Rafa’s Year . Their was no better man for the Job congratulations Rafa
RAFA’S COMING UP AGAIN ON TOP WHERE HE BELONGS……CONGRATULATIONS.
without a doubt Rafa is considered one of Spain’s Great Treasures,, To be gifted as a player who has become famous an to be so accommodating to his country is wonderful an a pleasure to witness ,,,
So happy for you. What a great honour. You must be so proud.
I am thrilled for you Rafa… You deserve the honour
Fran Binns
I am so happy for Rafa and so proud of him!
I know that this is an honour that he will hold dear to his heart!
This is the coolness! <3 🙂