Steve Nash co-owns Mallorca in Copa del Rey final as club eyes glory

Steve Nash will watch Mallorca chase Spanish football’s biggest prize Saturday when the Balearic club faces Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final.

What happened?

Mallorca secured a shock spot in the final with a 3-2 win over Real Madrid in the semifinals on 3 Apr 2024. The 6 Apr 2024 showdown in Seville marks the club’s first-ever Copa del Rey final. Andy Kohlberg, Mallorca’s president and main shareholder, called the run “historic and surprising” after eight years under American ownership.

Steve Nash became a shareholder in 2016 when Kohlberg, Robert Sarver and others bought the club for about $20 million. Steve Kerr joined as a minority owner in 2023. Both NBA greats have visited the club and spoken to the squad, though Kohlberg said their involvement is light.

Why it matters for Steve Nash

Nash, the two-time NBA MVP, is a lifelong football fan who once served on Mallorca’s board. He trained with the club’s B team in the past and still checks results with Kohlberg. “When the team loses, they call me and ask, ‘What are you doing?’” Kohlberg joked.

Kohlberg stressed the ownership group stays long-term despite early struggles. Mallorca has bounced between six divisions since 2016, a record Kohlberg isn’t proud of. But the club now sits in Spain’s top flight and eyes European competition.

What comes next?

A Copa del Rey win would cap a remarkable turnaround. Kohlberg insists the American owners have no regrets despite the “ups and downs” of European football’s promotion-relegation cycle. He contrasted it with U.S. sports, where bad seasons don’t carry existential risk.

Kerr visited the squad in 2022 and spoke to the first team. Nash and Kerr watch games and sometimes discuss results afterward. Kohlberg said their athlete mindset helps them spot the right players.

The bigger picture

Mallorca is one of five LaLiga clubs with foreign owners. Kohlberg argued the passion in Spanish football runs deeper than U.S. sports pageantry. “Here it’s tribal warfare,” he told the Associated Press. “In the U.S., it’s more about fun and entertainment.”

Other former athletes own shares, including U.S. soccer’s Stuart Holden and England’s Graeme Le Saux. Kohlberg said athletes understand what makes winners tick.