Javier Tebas accuses Real Madrid of Goebbels-style methods; sports council seeks probe
Tebas accused Real Madrid of using propaganda techniques; the Supreme Sports Council asked for an independent investigation.
LaLiga president Javier Tebas sparked a new controversy on October 16, 2026, when he accused Real Madrid of using methods he compared to those of Joseph Goebbels, the minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany. The remarks reignited an already tense debate around the club's media strategy and prompted an institutional response from Spanish sports authorities.
Reactions and an investigation
In a public comment Tebas said: "Their aim is always the same. To take actions that suit them, to constantly repeat grievances, to foment suspicion and to point out enemies. This method recalls the propaganda mechanisms used by Joseph Goebbels, minister of Propaganda of Nazi Germany. Systematic repetition, construction of enemies and subordinating facts to the narrative."
Real Madrid immediately issued a counter-statement calling Tebas's words "absolutely unacceptable and serious for a person who holds such a serious function in Spanish football." The club criticised the LaLiga president and defended its own conduct amid the media storm.
The controversy also prompted the Supreme Sports Council to request that an independent collegiate body open an inquiry to determine whether any actions violated the Spanish Law on Sports. That law classifies "public and widely known acts that undermine sporting dignity or the code of conduct" as serious breaches and gives the council authority to investigate.
Supporters of Real Madrid expressed outrage at the comparison, while rivals and critics of the club welcomed Tebas's wording. The episode adds to a longer-running dispute over the club's relationship with certain media outlets — including its own channels — and how narratives about matches and scheduling are constructed and amplified.
Tebas posted his remarks on social networks on October 16, 2026, and the debate has remained active into late October 2026. Spanish football institutions now face the task of deciding whether the president's comments themselves constitute an overstep or whether they reveal conduct that merits formal sanctions.
Photo: Rafa Aparicio FotosLaLiga / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
