England World Cup Journey: Memories from Mallorca

This week I wanted to talk about my England World Cup experiences since I arrived in Mallorca.

Italy 1990

My first ever season in Mallorca, and England, after a slow start, were playing out of their skin. It was the emergence of Paul Gascoigne, and I can distinctly remember Punta Ballena going completely mad when David Platt scored a dramatic late winner against Belgium in the last 16. That was followed by a nervy 3–2 win over Cameroon, before a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to our old foes, Germany.

United States of America 1994

This was an easy one, as England didn’t even qualify! It was the tournament where Graham Taylor, the then England manager, famously said, “Do I not like that!”

France 1998

I can still see Michael Owen waltzing through the Argentinian defence as a young 18-year-old to score one of the World Cup’s greatest goals. That was tempered by David Beckham kicking out at the wily Diego Simeone, leaving England with 10 men. They hung on gallantly, only to lose on penalties again.

South Korea and Japan 2002

This was a World Cup much like the one we are experiencing now, with some strange kick-off times. I remember watching Beckham’s revenge over Argentina over breakfast! This World Cup, though, will be remembered for Ronaldinho lobbing David Seaman from 40 yards. Was it a fluke or an act of genius? Nobody really knows, but it meant England were saying Sayonara to Japan.

Germany 2006

England were sweating on the fitness of a young Wayne Rooney, who had a broken foot and was deemed to be the man to lead them to glory. He did go but was disappointing and failed to score a single goal. They eventually lost to Portugal in the quarter-finals on, yes, you’ve guessed it… penalties! Scoring just one of the four they took.

South Africa 2010

Remembered for those damned vuvuzelas! I remember being back home in the UK for a family celebration and watching the Germany game with my brother-in-law, Anthony. It was the game that produced the “goal” that never was. Frank Lampard hit a shot that clearly crossed the line, but the referee didn’t give it. England were outclassed, went on to lose the game, and were out. That incident led to the introduction of VAR.

Brazil 2014

A tournament to forget. Losing to Italy and Uruguay, and drawing with Costa Rica, meant we were home before the 14-day return period on my new England shirt was up!

Russia 2018

The first of Sir Gareth Southgate’s tournaments, and the one where we finally broke our penalty shootout hoodoo against Colombia. Hands up if you had no faith in Eric Dier scoring the winning penalty! Unfortunately, we couldn’t maintain that momentum and lost in the semi-finals to Croatia.

Qatar 2022

I would have put my house on Harry Kane scoring from the penalty spot. However, against France in the quarter-finals, he managed to hit a guy in Row Z, and we were out.

USA, Mexico and Canada 2026

From my first World Cup in Mallorca in 1990, standing on Punta Ballena, to now, I’m at the stage where my boys are sending me videos of themselves celebrating in the very same street while I’m in bed! Regardless of where I was, this was honestly one of the greatest football matches I have ever seen England play.

I was born in 1966, so it’s sixty years of hurt…Never stop me dreaming! 

Magalluf’s Transformation: Symphony on the Beach

I’ve got a positive and a negative for you this week.

Last week, I talked about the changes in Magalluf that I’ve seen over my 35 years here, and that the council were going to be holding a special opening last Saturday.

My wife and I decided to go along and do something completely different.

If you’d said 10 years ago that the Balearic Symphony Orchestra would be playing live on Magalluf Beach, you would have been laughed out of town.

Such is the change in the resort over time that this was possible, along with a spectacular drone show.

We booked ourselves into Blackbeard’s Beach Bar & Grill, and as luck would have it, we had a perfect view of the stage from where we were sitting. There were thousands of people there, both tourists and residents from lots of different countries. Police estimates were around the 10,000 mark, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the evening.

The orchestra played music from shows and films, with a huge screen behind them showing videos that linked the two together. This was perfectly accompanied by 400 drones, which lit up the night sky with some amazing images.

Chapeau! to Mayor Juan Antonio Amengual and his team for putting on such a great evening. I hope it isn’t a one-off, as this proved that, with the right planning and organisation, anything can be done.

My good mood was tempered on Monday morning when Real Mallorca released their season ticket prices for the new league campaign. Since we got relegated on the 23rd of May, it has been nothing but bad news.

The coach, Martin Demichelis, signed a new contract and then, two weeks later, reneged on the deal and left for RB Leipzig in Germany.

From the team, we’ve lost Muriqi, Larin, Maffeo, Mascarell and Asano, who have either been sold or left on free transfers. Joseph and Kumbulla have gone back to their parent clubs, and I think we’re going to lose Costa, Mojica, Virgili, Torre, Román and Lato too.

As I write this, not one player has been signed.

So, with all that great news, the club decided to reduce my season ticket price by just 20%. We’re no longer watching Barcelona and Real Madrid; we’re watching Almería and Las Palmas! No offence to those two clubs—they were simply the first that came to mind.

Contrast that with the other relegated teams. Girona have reduced their prices by 50%, and Real Oviedo by 40%, which I think is fair in both cases.

Mallorca wrote into all the players’ contracts that relegation would mean a 50% cut in wages, so what happened to the 50% cut in the cost of season tickets? It’s a joke!

My seat last season cost me €500, and this year it will cost €415. If you’d like to sit in the same area as me but you’re buying a seat for the very first time, that will set you back €700! More than half of the Premier League clubs are cheaper than that.

With the relegation parachute payment, the transfer money from players sold, and the wages saved on those players—plus the 50% wage cut for the rest of the squad—Mallorca will have the biggest budget in the Second Division. So why not pass some of that on to the long-suffering fans?

You might say, “Well, you don’t have to buy one if you don’t want to.” But football fans are a different breed. We support our teams through thick and thin, and I can’t turn my back on them.

Whoever is in charge of this debacle obviously hasn’t read the room.

The Transformation of Magaluf: From Party Hub to Luxury Destination

I arrived in Mallorca in 1990 on a Dan-Air flight (remember them?) as I was attending a training course for new holiday reps with a company called Intasun. We had never been abroad as a family, so my mum (God bless her) thought I would be back within a week. Thirty-six years later, I’m still here!

The training course took place at the Hotel Guadalupe in Magaluf. It was fairly intense, but my previous four years as a Butlin’s Redcoat stood me in good stead, and I passed with flying colours. There must have been around 50 people on the course, and everyone who passed was called in to be told where in the world they were being sent. Another girl called Lisa and I were told we were staying in Magaluf.

And so my love affair with Mallorca and Magaluf began.

Magaluf’s advertising in 1990 was defined by brash, party-focused marketing from budget travel operators like Club 18–30. Campaigns relied heavily on cheeky slogans, radio spots, and tabloid print ads, promoting cheap booze and “sun-and-sex” holidays. That said, there was still a healthy mix of families visiting the resort.

A family holiday in Magaluf in 1990 was the classic British package holiday. It offered 3-star hotels, sun-drenched sandy beaches, and a boisterous, neon-lit nightlife, with family-friendly bars such as Manos and Benny Hill’s. It was also the time when Pirates Adventure came to the fore. As a hot-day rep, it was my favourite excursion, and I sent hundreds of people there. Little did I know it would become the company I would eventually spend the next 30 years working for.

Like this year, 1990 was a World Cup year, when England came so close to reaching the final. World in Motion by New Order, featuring the iconic John Barnes rap, was released and became a massive hit. Other songs I remember include Step On by The Happy Mondays, Groove Is in the Heart by Deee-Lite, and U Can’t Touch This by MC Hammer.

A pint of lager cost around 200 to 300 pesetas, and a full English breakfast was between 350 and 500 pesetas. Yes, this was all before the euro even existed.

I lived through all the good times of the 1990s and early 2000s, but then it all started to go wrong. Magaluf was making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Something had to change, and it did.

This transformation was driven by strict local legislation, hundreds of millions of euros in private investment, and a major push to improve the resort’s image and environmental footprint.

The new Magaluf was born – or, as it’s now known, Calvià Beach Resort.

It is no longer a resort dominated by the UK market. Instead, it has become far more cosmopolitan, with visitors arriving from all over the world.

More than 80% of the hotels are now four- and five-star properties. Brands such as Meliá, Fergus, and Globales have invested millions, helping to extend the tourist season and encouraging growth in the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) sector.

Nikki Beach Mallorca has become the luxury anchor of Magaluf’s upscale transformation. Fashion brands such as Mango and Springfield, supermarket chains including Lidl and Aldi, and food and beverage names such as Five Guys and Starbucks are now all part of the resort’s growing fabric. Add to that the increasing number of bars, restaurants, beach clubs, and cafés run by local entrepreneurs, whose food, drinks, and customer service are second to none.

The beach is one of the finest urban beaches in Mallorca, having earned the prestigious Q for Tourist Quality flag. It has also been restored to a more natural state, complete with a dune system and palm trees. Through the new DTI (Smart Tourist Destination) project, the beach is now monitored in real time, allowing visitors to instantly check occupancy levels, water quality, and other useful information.

There’s also a new boardwalk, which has enhanced the range of leisure and dining options, significantly raised standards, and helped establish the resort as a Mediterranean benchmark for urban renewal.

The resort is home to some of the island’s leading family attractions, including Pirates Adventure, Western Water Park, and Katmandu Park.

Mallorca Live Festival, held on the outskirts of Magaluf, has established itself as one of Europe’s must-visit music festivals. This year, more than 70,000 people attended over three days to see artists including The Prodigy, Kaiser Chiefs, and David Guetta. Next year, the festival celebrates its 10th anniversary, with the dates of 11th and 12th June already in the diary.

Sports tourism has also grown significantly, with the state-of-the-art athletics stadium leading the way in welcoming athletes from around the world.

Magaluf still offers a fantastic nightlife; it’s simply become that little bit more sophisticated. BCM has consistently been ranked among the world’s leading nightclubs by DJ Mag and Nightlife International. It focuses heavily on EDM, house, trance, hip-hop, and R&B, and has welcomed world-renowned artists such as Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Steve Aoki, and Martin Garrix.

Probably one of the greatest achievements by the local authorities has been the improvements in safety and security. In recent years, the number of complaints during the high season has fallen by around 30% – a steady improvement backed up by Local Police data.

Magaluf has changed and, in my opinion, changed for the better. Granted, it’s not the same resort I first arrived in back in 1990. But times change, and Magaluf has evolved into a high-quality destination that now attracts visitors from the four corners of the world.

World Cup 2026: Surprising Performances from Small Teams

Quite a lot of people thought that the increase in teams at the World Cup would mean more boring games and that the smaller nations would struggle to get results. Happily, I’m pleased to say that, so far, that has not been the case. Granted, Germany thrashed Curaçao 7-1, but when the minnows equalised in the 21st minute to make the score 1-1, I was jumping off my sofa.

Probably the best example so far of a smaller team holding their own against a larger nation was Spain v Cape Verde last Monday. Remember, I picked Spain as my favourites to win the competition last week. I should have said that they are slow starters and normally grow into a tournament. Let’s hope I’m not wrong!

Cape Verde, or Cabo Verde, is located 500km off Africa’s west coast and is a ten-island archipelago with an estimated population of 520,500 residing on nine of those islands. People talk more about it as a holiday destination than as a hotbed of football, so in reality they shouldn’t have stood a chance.

Spain are the current European champions, with 15 members of their squad having won a trophy this past season, and in Lamine Yamal they have a possible Player of the Tournament.

In the game itself, Spain unsurprisingly dominated, completing over 800 passes and registering 27 shots at goal. Unfortunately for La Roja, they came up against a goalkeeper who had an absolute worldie.

I guarantee that nobody out there had heard of the Cape Verde goalkeeper, Josimar José Évora Dias, widely known by his nickname, Vozinha, before the game. But you can be sure millions do now. He is 40 years of age and plays in the Portuguese second division for a team called Chaves. His performance saw him pull off a string of outstanding saves that totally frustrated the Spanish team. Before the game, as I said above, he was a complete unknown with 20,000 followers on Instagram. At the time of writing, just three days later, he now has 13 million followers! Luckily for Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, who are in the same group, drew their game too, so it’s all to play for. I still expect Spain to come through as group winners. Next up for Spain is Saudi Arabia on Sunday at 18:00.

From Spain’s frustration we move to England’s exhilaration. Sixty years of hurt, and every tournament we hope it’s going to be our turn. My whole lifetime, as I was born in 1966, we’ve suffered countless heartbreaks. That’s why I said last week that my heart says the winners will be England, while my head says it will be Spain. But in Thomas Tuchel, England have a ruthless winner who has, without doubt, been brought in to win the competition. Croatia have delivered some of those heartbreaks in the past. In 2007 they knocked us out in the qualifiers for the European Championships, and in 2018 they beat us in the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia.

The first half on Wednesday night was a mirror image of how England normally perform. There were flashes of great attacking ability, with Kane scoring twice, but they were let down by some poor defending. It was a great game for the neutral, but for us England fans, as usual, it was nerve-racking. We went into half-time all square at 2-2.

Without doubt, Tuchel gave the team a rocket at half-time, and they produced a stunning second-half performance. Jude Bellingham silenced his critics with a barnstorming run and finish to make it 3-2. Then, in the closing moments, substitutes Saka and Rashford combined to make it 4-2 and complete a very satisfying second-half performance.

A great start for England, but let’s keep a lid on the celebrations and simply be happy that we’ve started well. There’s a long way to go yet, but it’s certainly a promising start.

Next up for England is Ghana next Tuesday at 22.00.

Nostalgia of Collecting Panini Stickers During World Cups

The FIFA World Cup is upon us and, as ever, Panini has marked the occasion with a sticker album featuring the players of all 48 competing nations. The tournament, hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, kicked off in Mexico City last week and concludes in East Rutherford on July 19.

The first World Cup I can remember was in 1974 in Germany, when the host nation defeated Holland 2-1. It was also the time I was introduced to Panini and its sticker albums. I think the album came free with a magazine called Shoot!, a football magazine, of course, that I bought religiously every week. They used to throw in a couple of free packs to get you going and whet your appetite.

I remember going to school with a mountain of stickers I already had in order to swap them with other boys. The playground was full of boys shouting, “Got it, got it, got it, need it!” When you got to a “need it”, you then had to negotiate with the boy who had the sticker you needed. This is where you found out who the budding salesmen were and who you could do an easy deal with.

“I’ll swap you these 30 cards for that Peter Lorimer card.”

There were certain cards that were so difficult to get hold of that, if you wanted to fill your album, the more desperate you became. I remember that Peter Lorimer, of Scotland and Leeds fame, was one of those rare cards. The packets used to cost 3-4p and each contained four stickers, while there were 400 stickers to collect.

Panini, of course, weren’t daft. They obviously didn’t print the same number of stickers for each player, making you spend more to finish your album. An unopened pack of stickers from 1974 can fetch between £80 and £150 at auction, while a completed album can sell for anywhere between £500 and £1,500.

Now, the kids — and big kids — of today have begun collecting stickers of their favourite players, including those of England and Scotland, in a bid to complete the album.

Each packet of seven stickers costs collectors £1.25, and there are almost a thousand in total to find.

The thought of completing the set prompted one England fan to calculate how much the task could cost. And brace yourself, because it’s a lot.

The fan explained that this year’s tournament is the biggest ever, featuring countries that have never qualified before, including Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Curaçao and Jordan. And, of course, more nations means more stickers.

“Each team has 20 stickers, so 48 times 20 equals 960 stickers just for the teams,” the fan continued. “And then there are a few extras, such as the official emblem — ones you’re not actually interested in but need to collect — and then there’s a history section, so all in all there are another 20, making 980 stickers in total.”

The fan then calculated that £1.25 packets, divided by seven, work out at 17.8p per sticker. So, presuming the collector miraculously obtains no duplicates, 980 unique stickers would cost around £175.

Writing in response, one former collector said: “The last time I got one of these was in 1990. I didn’t even have half the book filled, and I was getting more duplicates than stickers I needed. I didn’t have anyone to swap with like you would at school. There is no way you are filling that for less than a grand.”

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire, meanwhile, claims that completing the sticker album is likely to cost much more.

“At an estimated price of £2 for seven Panini stickers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it works out at approximately £2,030 to fill the 980-sticker album unless you swap with other collectors,” he said on X.

Without doubt, it’s as great a money-maker for Panini today as it was when I was at school. Luckily for me, my two boys have grown out of the habit.

World Cup 2026 Predictions: Who Will Win?

There are 48 countries competing in this year’s World Cup finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico, so trying to find a winner has become more difficult than ever. Although only eight nations have ever lifted the Trophy: Brazil (5), Italy (4), Germany (4), Argentina (3), France (2), Uruguay (2), England (1) and Spain (1).

You would probably deduce that the winner will come from one of these teams. However, I’m going to add one dark horse that may have a chance, and that is Portugal.

Italy, somewhat surprisingly, did not qualify, so that rules them out. I can’t make a case for Uruguay and, although they always seem to do well in tournament football, I’m ruling out Germany as well. Brazil have a coach in Carlo Ancelotti who is widely considered to be one of the most successful and decorated football managers in history, holding several unmatched milestones across European and international football. However, I don’t think his team is good enough.

That leaves Argentina, France, England and Spain. Interestingly, if the results go the way the experts predict, these will be the four semi-finalists.

My heart will always say England and, in Thomas Tuchel, we have an elite manager. But after 60 years of hurt, I still can’t see us getting over the line.

Argentina are the holders, and their coach, Luis Scaloni, lives in Mallorca. However, Messi is well past his best and I can’t see them retaining their crown.

So that leaves France and Spain. It’s very difficult to separate these two, but if I really had to choose, I’m going for my adopted country, Spain.

The current European champions have a team full of winners who, importantly, won’t be fazed by the heat. When I say winners, I mean players who have been successful in their domestic leagues this season and should be bringing that form into the World Cup.

Raya, Merino and Zubimendi all won the Premier League with Arsenal. García, Torres, Gavi, Olmo, Yamal, Pedri and Cubarsí all won La Liga with Barcelona. Ruiz won Ligue 1 and the Champions League with PSG. Rodri won the League Cup and FA Cup with Manchester City. Oyarzabal won the Copa del Rey with Real Sociedad, and finally, Pino won the Conference League with Crystal Palace.

That’s 15 players out of a squad of 26 who have already won something this season.

The most surprising thing about the Spanish team is that there is not one player from Real Madrid. You can understand why, as they haven’t won anything in the last two seasons.

The goalkeeping position will be interesting, as all three goalkeepers are world-class and it’s difficult to separate them. However, Spanish head coach Luis de la Fuente heavily favours Unai Simón as his undisputed first-choice goalkeeper. Despite stellar seasons and Golden Glove awards for David Raya (Arsenal) and Joan García (Barcelona), De la Fuente has consistently backed Simón, the starter from Spain’s UEFA Euro 2024 triumph.

The defence could well be their weak link, in my opinion, but their midfield and attack are outstanding. In Lamine Yamal, Barcelona have a genuine star who could become the player of the tournament.

Barring injuries, I expect them to line up in a 4-3-3 formation:

Goalkeeper: Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao)

Defence: Marcos Llorente (Atlético Madrid), Aymeric Laporte (Al Nassr), Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona) and Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)

Midfield: Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona) and Fabián Ruiz (PSG)

Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) and Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao)

Whilst I would love the Three Lions to roar again, my tip is for La Roja to be triumphant on the 19th of July. 

Travel Woes and Thrills: Following Arsenal in London

From the heartbreak of my Spanish club, Real Mallorca, getting relegated, I went to the euphoria of my English club, Arsenal, winning the Premier League. So my two sons and I decided to go to London to watch them play and then attend the trophy parade on the Sunday.

We had intended to go to Budapest for the final, but the cost of flights and hotels was off the scale. Something needs to be done about airlines and hotels profiteering whenever a major event comes to a certain city. How can a hotel that normally charges €100 for a room suddenly charge €1,000 for the exact same room on the night of the event? Remember, that’s a two-star hotel charging five-star prices, yet you’re still getting a two-star hotel room. You can guarantee that the same room will be back to €100 the following day. It’s wrong and should not be allowed to happen.

Anyway, we ended up in London and were in desperate search of a pub that hadn’t sold tickets the week before. There were hundreds of people on the streets all looking to do the same thing. We eventually found one called The George, just off Holloway Road.

The atmosphere was great: lots of banter, songs being sung, and plenty of drink being drunk! At £8.00 a pint, I’m sure the landlord was very happy.

I’m sure you know by now how the game went. Arsenal scored early on and PSG equalised in the second half from a penalty. In the end, penalties were the only way they could separate the two teams. They’re still searching for the ball from Gabriel’s penalty, which left PSG winning 4-3.

We went back to the hotel quietly, but knowing we still had the Premier League trophy parade on Sunday to look forward to.

We arrived at Finsbury Park on Sunday morning at around 11am and straight away you could see it was very busy. We decided to stay in that area rather than walk somewhere else. The crowd was around 30 people deep at the front at that point and getting deeper by the minute.

We then had approximately four hours to wait before the team bus was due to arrive. I don’t recommend hanging around for that amount of time with absolutely nothing to do. When the bus did arrive, it was a fleeting 20 seconds and most of it was lost beneath the red smoke filling the air from hundreds of flares being held aloft. Whoever’s clever idea that was hadn’t really thought it through properly.

And that was that — parade over.

It was 3.30pm and we then had to make our way back to Gatwick for a flight due to leave at 9.00pm. Fairly routine, you’d think: the Tube and then the Gatwick Express from Victoria. But we hadn’t banked on the sheer disorganisation of Transport for London, the Metropolitan Police and, I’ll throw him in there too, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

We went to Finsbury Park Tube station, which was shut, with no announcements telling anyone what was actually happening. So I said, “Let’s walk to Arsenal station.” We got there and that was shut too. Onward we shuffled to Highbury & Islington station. There was a pattern developing here — closed.

A policewoman sent us to Angel station, which she assured us was definitely open… it was closed.

By this time I was looking at my watch thinking, “Are we going to make this flight?” Next stop on our magical mystery Tube tour was King’s Cross St Pancras. You’ve guessed it… CLOSED!

Eventually, due to crowd pressure, they opened the gates. We hot-footed it — which wasn’t a saying by the way — to Victoria and caught the train to Gatwick. We arrived at Gatwick at 7.30pm.

So a journey that would normally have taken just over an hour actually took four hours.

When we got airside, we were greeted by the departure screen delightfully informing us that we were delayed by an hour and a half. When we were eventually called to the gate, we arrived to find the other 21 people waiting in the queue. Yes, there were only 24 of us!

The plane then mysteriously developed a technical fault, which led me to believe we were spending the night at Gatwick. An €18 drinks voucher was given to us at midnight, which was gratefully received, but we had nowhere to spend it because everything had already shut.

At 02.00am we finally took off, with all of us having about six rows each to stretch out on. We arrived just as the alarms on my phone were telling me to wake up for my morning breakfast show on Wave Mallorca Radio!

Definitely a weekend to remember, and I’ll leave you with the words of Louis Dunford:

North London forever

Whatever the weather

These streets are our own

And my heart will leave you never

My blood will forever

Run through the stone!

RCD Mallorca Relegated: A Season of Heartbreak

Heartbreak for RCD Mallorca last night as they were relegated from La Liga to Segunda División. Mallorca did their job, beating an already relegated Real Oviedo 3-0, but results elsewhere meant they went down based on their head-to-head record against other teams. When exactly two teams are tied, the league separates them using the matches played only against each other.

The league table doesn’t lie and, in truth, Mallorca went down for a few reasons. In the first half of the season, they just weren’t good enough, and they took too long to replace coach Jagoba Arrasate. They finished seventh in the league based on their home form; where they struggled was away from home, finishing 19th in the away table and winning only two games on the road. The new coach, Martín Demichelis, got the team playing again, but they lost two of their last three games, and that was enough to send them down.

Mallorca finished on 42 points, and in most seasons that would be enough to stay up, but it was so tight that Getafe CF, who qualified for Europe in seventh place, finished just nine points ahead.

One of the positives to come out of the season was Vedat Muriqi, who scored 23 goals and finished second in the “Pichichi”, Spain’s Golden Boot award, behind Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid CF. The question now is whether they can hang on to him.

After five straight seasons in La Liga, Mallorca must now rebuild and look for promotion back to the top division. I hope they can keep the majority of the squad together.

Players out of contract are Takuma Asano, Omar Mascarell, Javier Llabrés and Iván Cuéllar. Players on loan are Marash Kumbulla, Luvumbo and Mateu Joseph. Conversely, players currently out on loan who will return are Leo Román Domenech, Cyle Larin and David Luna.

The lack of TV money will undoubtedly lead to players leaving. In La Liga, top teams like Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona pull in €155 million to €160 million per season. Mid-table or lower teams generally secure around €40 million to €50 million.

In Segunda División, most sides earn roughly €6 million to €8 million. The only clubs that cross the €15 million to €22 million mark are recently relegated teams, who receive heavily subsidised payouts from a shared compensation fund (parachute payments) to ease their transition.

Criticism has been levelled at the club and its directors over the direction the club has taken. You could say there has been too much focus on the non-footballing side and not enough on the core business. The stadium is of a very high standard, with lots of corporate opportunities, conference facilities, a sports clinic and a sports café, but when your team on the field doesn’t match your facilities off it, there is a problem.

Is there a Premier League team this scenario reminds you of?

We now have a La Liga stadium with a team playing in Segunda División.

I can’t stress enough how important it is for Mallorca to return to La Liga next season. It’s great for tourism, as people do visit the island to watch football. It’s great for those of us who live here to see teams such as FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF play live. Finally, it’s great for youth football on the island. Having a team playing in La Liga is aspirational for all of our young footballers.

The one positive I can draw from this sorrowful tale is that season tickets will be cheaper next season.

Visca Mallorca!

Just Two Weeks To The Radiothon

Last week, we took the opportunity to fly back to London to see our families and watch Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final. I have to say, London was really busy and full of tourists. We stayed in central London at a new chain of hotels called Zedwell.

Zedwell Hotels are an innovative, sleep-centric hotel brand known for their minimalist, underground, capsule-style accommodation in central London. Owned by the real estate investment and hospitality firm Criterion Capital, the brand focuses on providing quiet, affordable sanctuaries in the middle of bustling city centres. I would thoroughly recommend them, particularly if you’re going to the theatre, a sports event, a concert, or sightseeing.

It was only €150 for the four of us, which for central London was an amazing price.

Whilst I was there, I got a call from the Mayor of Calvià, Juan Antonio Amengual, who started with the words, “Congratulations, Richie.” Now, I thought he was congratulating my team on beating Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, so I started talking about how well we had played and what a great game it had been. He politely interrupted me, saying, “Richie, I am congratulating you because you have won the European Citizen of the Year Award.”

I was gobsmacked, as the last thing I had actually won was probably the medals and trophies I received as a teenager playing football. I proudly collected the award on Europe Day, and it now has pride of place in my house.

I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way, including everyone at Pirates and all the people I’ve met and worked with over the past two years.

Last weekend, I should have been riding around the island taking part in the 6 Points Cycling Challenge. Unfortunately, I fell off my bike about three weeks ago and suffered various cuts and bruises, as well as a dislocated finger. I was gutted, as I had put a lot of work into it, with great support from my sponsors: Liberty Sport, Bodhana, Lauren Mallorca Physio, Nicky Next Level, and Megasport.

However, there’s a silver lining. I’ve been in touch with everyone who had donated so far, and they have all graciously agreed to leave their donations with the charities. The money will still go towards the Radiothon and all the wonderful causes we’re supporting.

When one door closes, another opens — and I’m still very much looking forward to being part of the Wave Mallorca Radiothon broadcast on June 5th and 6th, live from Motorworld.

For 36 hours, something pretty special happens…

The music doesn’t stop.
The stories keep coming.
And a whole community comes together for one reason — to make a difference.

Live from 7am Friday to 7pm Saturday, this isn’t just radio… it’s real people, real emotion, and real impact. And the most important part?

Every single cent raised goes directly to the charities — we take nothing out.

This year, we’re proud to support:

• Son Espases Hospital Children’s Ward
• Save the Med Foundation
• 6 Points Cycling Challenge
• Yachting Gives Back
• Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity

Over those 36 hours, you’ll hear laughter, tears, live music, and moments you won’t forget… all powered by YOU.

HOW YOU CAN BE PART OF IT:

• Sponsor an hour (from €100) — a brilliant way to support and promote your business (these go quickly!)
• Buy or sell raffle tickets
• Donate a raffle or auction prize
• Make a donation — big or small, it all counts
• Request a song and be part of the show
• Organise your own fundraiser and join the movement

Whether you’re tuning in, getting involved, or simply spreading the word — you’re part of something bigger.

Ready to help?

www.wavemallorca.com
+34 670 704 311
studio@wavemallorca.com

Palma Boat Show: A Key Player in Mallorca’s Nautical Economy

I had the pleasure of being involved in the Palma Boat Show last week. As part of Wave Mallorca Radio, we did three days of live broadcasts from three different stands, offering three different aspects of the yachting industry.

I am guilty of saying that Mallorca only has tourism as a major industry. However, the nautical industry in the Balearic Islands, with Mallorca as its hub, contributes approximately 3.1% to the regional GDP. As of 2024, the sector generated over €1.1 billion in annual turnover, supported by 879 companies and more than 5,000 direct jobs, primarily in refit, repair, and marina services. Let’s remember that the majority of this work is year-round, rather than limited to the shorter tourism season, making it a very important part of the islands’ makeup.

The Palma International Boat Show (PIBS) is a major economic engine for Mallorca, generating over €21 million in direct economic impact, boosting low-season tourism, and cementing the island as a premier Mediterranean yachting hub. It draws roughly 30,000 visitors and over 300 companies, significantly supporting the local nautical sector. As mentioned above, we did three live broadcasts on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

On Wednesday, we were with Warren Maritime, a boutique superyacht recruitment agency, which means you won’t be one file among hundreds. They work with a focused roster of vessels and candidates, giving them the time to understand what each placement actually requires. Superyachts operate differently from standard vessels—tighter crews, higher standards, and more complex dynamics. After years in the industry, they know what to look for beyond the CV. They match technical expertise with operational fit, career ambitions with genuine growth opportunities, and personalities with crew culture. It’s detailed work, but that’s what makes placements succeed long-term.

Founder Helen Warren said: “The boat show was a fantastic success for us. We had the opportunity to connect with many of our existing clients while also meeting a great number of new ones. It was an excellent platform for meaningful conversations, strengthening relationships, and building valuable new connections through productive networking. We are thoroughly looking forward to the year ahead and to seeing the business continue to grow.”

Engineering Recruitment Consultant Clare Ferridge said: “PIBS is getting better each year—amazing turnout and loads of interesting people from all parts of the yachting world. Fantastic to have Wave broadcasting live from our stand—an awesome start to the show that created a real buzz.”

For more information, please contact: https://warrenmaritime.com

On Thursday, we were with Precision Marine Engineering, who provide a wide range of pragmatic, affordable, and professionally delivered marine engineering services. They are experienced professionals in the marine engineering industry and have been providing successful services from 1994 to the present day. Their policy is to deliver quality service tailored to customers’ requirements and deadlines. PME has been a family-run business since it was formed in 1996, and its founder, Andrew Wilcox, is still actively involved today.

Operations Manager Allan Liñan said: “The boat show was a fantastic success for us. We had the opportunity to connect with many of our existing clients while also meeting a great number of new ones. It was an excellent platform for meaningful conversations, strengthening relationships, and building valuable new connections through productive networking. We are thoroughly looking forward to the year ahead and to seeing the business continue to grow.”

For more information, please contact: https://www.precision-marine.net

Nauti-Parts has been growing from strength to strength, now employing a wide range of staff and offering services from a replacement Boston valve to supplying tenders to the largest superyachts. They also offer jet ski and water toy sales, rentals, and servicing from their stores in Portals Nous and Port Adriano, as well as their brand-new service centre in Son Bugadelles, Santa Ponsa.

Russell from Nauti-Parts took me on a tour of their new facility in Santa Ponsa, and I have to say it is huge and very impressive. Their winter storage facilities for jet skis are second to none.

Nauti-Parts also provides storage, maintenance, repairs, and a collection and delivery service, enabling them to handle anything from the smallest to the largest of tasks to keep your investment in ship-shape condition. Whether it’s a private or charter concern, Nauti-Parts can cater to your every need.

Russell Fenwick, owner of Nauti-Parts, said: “It was a huge success and the best show ever. We are looking forward to 2027!”

For more information, please contact: https://nauti-parts.com

These were just three of the many exhibitors at the boat show, and the others I had the chance to speak to were all singing its praises. Here’s to PIBS 2027!