Joaquín Gets Board Role Green Light as Betis Shareholders Make It Official
Betis legend Joaquín Sánchez's appointment to the club's board has been officially ratified by shareholders, with the former captain taking on sporting director duties.
The iconic former captain has seen his boardroom position at Real Betis formally approved by shareholders, cementing his post-playing career at the club where he became a legend.
From Pitch to Boardroom
Betis shareholders gathered at Seville’s Hotel Barceló Renacimiento on Tuesday for their Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting, where they overwhelmingly backed Joaquín Sánchez’s appointment to the club’s board of directors. The move had been initially announced back on November 11th, but needed the formality of a shareholder vote to make it official.
The numbers tell the story of his popularity:
- Representatives of 165,585 shares voted in favor
- Just 242 shares opposed the appointment
- A mere 764 shares abstained
Joaquín, who hung up his boots in 2023 after an illustrious career, steps into the role previously held by the son of major shareholder Joaquín Caro Ledesma. The El Puerto de Santa María native has actually been serving in the position for just over a month through co-option, but now has the formal backing of the club’s owners.
What’s His Role?
Since retirement, Joaquín has made no secret of his desire to contribute his vast experience to Betis after spending more than two decades at football’s top level. For the past several months, he’s been working as an advisor to the sporting department.
In his new board position, the two-time Copa del Rey winner with Betis will continue focusing on sporting matters while also serving as one of the club’s public faces during first-team away trips.
Club president Ángel Haro endorsed the appointment, highlighting Joaquín’s credentials as “one of the most relevant footballers in Betis history” who defended the badge in 528 matches across two spells at the club.
Classic Joaquín Moment
In typical Joaquín fashion, the board meeting wasn’t without its touch of comedy. The former winger arrived late for his own ratification vote after briefly leaving the room, prompting applause from those present and a quip from President Haro: “He’s already resigned.”
The proceedings even featured a shareholder who took to the microphone to perform a sevillana (traditional folk song) he’d composed in honor of the smiling ex-captain. As they say in Spain, with Joaquín, it’s always a bit of a dog and bone!