Rudy Fernández, Lifetime Achievement Award at 2024 Los Leones ceremony
“As president of Real Madrid, I have experienced some unbelievable years alongside a unique and special basketball team. And Rudy has been an essential part of that dressing room,” said the club president Florentino Pérez at the event organised by El Español newspaper.
Rudy Fernández collected the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ninth edition of the Los Leones gala, organised by El Español newspaper at the Four Seasons Hotel in Madrid. The Real Madrid and world basketball legend received the award at a ceremony that Florentino Pérez also attended.
In his speech, the Real Madrid president praised the Mallorcan small forward, who brought an end to a professional career replete with trophies in August: “Congratulations to our beloved Rudy Fernández for this Los Leones Lifetime Achievement Award. Without a doubt, Rudy is one of the greatest legends of Real Madrid and of Spanish and world sport.”
“I would like to say that, as president of Real Madrid, I have experienced some unbelievable years alongside a unique and special basketball team. And I'm not just saying that because of the trophies we won, but also because of the emotion that Real Madrid basketball has created on the court. And Rudy has been an essential part of that dressing room, for whom there was no such thing as an impossible challenge.”
“My dear Rudy, all of us in the large Madridista family will always be proud of you. And, as I have told you before, we will never forget one of those thrilling moments like those magical 15 minutes with all our fans on their feet, chanting your name in your last game at the WiZink Center after scoring 4 consecutive three-pointers.”
Rudy: “It is a great honour to receive this award”
“Mr. President, you are one of the people who made it possible for me to be here right now. The one who gave me the wonderful opportunity to join this great family, the Madridista family, 13 years ago. I have received the warmth of all the people of Madrid and especially from the Madridistas. For me, those 15 minutes at the WiZink were one of the greatest recognitions I have ever had at a professional level. Thank you so much to El Español for this great award. It is a great honour for me to be here today with all of you and to receive this award."
Rudy Fernández, a legend of Spanish and world sport, bid farewell to professional basketball last summer after 13 seasons at Real Madrid. He played 754 games for our club and won 26 trophies: European Cups (3), Intercontinental Cup (1), League titles (7), Copa del Rey (6) and Spanish Super Cups (9). With the Spanish national team, he became the men's basketball player that has played in the most Olympic Games in history (6). And he holds the record number of international games (266), as well as an extraordinary record: 6 gold medals (World Cups in 2006 and 2019 and European Championships 2009, 2011, 2015 and 2022), 3 silver medals (Olympic Games 2008 and 2012 and European Championship 2007) and 2 bronze medals (Olympic Games 2016 and European Championship 2013).