Home » Tennis » Watch: A 16-year-old Rafael Nadal doing keep-ups with a Volleyball

Here is a throwback clip of Rafael Nadal, as a 16-year-old, playing keepie uppie with a Volleyball.

An old footage of Rafael Nadal from his teenage days has resurfaced on the internet, giving fans an idea what a day in the youngster’s life looked like back in the time. In the video, Rafael Nadal can be seen doing various activities that he used to do while growing up and his special love for football is equally visible. Some would say that the youngster was destined for greatness and Nadal has certainly established himself as one of the greatest to play Tennis.

In the video, Nadal can be primarily seen playing keep-ups with a volleyball, eating his favourite dishes with his family, hanging out with friends and playing football video games besides his usual training sessions. Nadal also spoke about how he admires his idols Carlos Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero and stressed on his love for football. Fans appear to absolutely love the footage and it has gone viral on the internet in no time.

Rafael Nadal has had a great affinity for football since his childhood days

One thing that stands out in the video is Nadal’s love for football. He is a die-hard Real Madrid fan and his sporting prowess is not just limited to the tennis court. Back in 2008, Nadal put six goals past legendary Spanish and Real Madrid Goalkeeper, Iker Casillas. The goals were scored in a charity match but they were sublime and showed how good Nadal is with the ball at his feet.

Rafael Nadal Real Madrid

Nadal has been a lifelong fan of the Spanish football club RCD Mallorca (besides Real Madrid), which is based in his hometown where he grew up. Nadal played both tennis and football till the age of 12 and was very good for his age group. However, when it came to choosing one sport so that his studies are not affected, Rafa picked tennis and soon enough turned Pro at the age of 15 under the coaching of his uncle Toni Nadal who spotted the talent in Rafa first and pushed him towards the sport of tennis.

More Tennis news

Follow our dedicated Tennis page for instant Tennis news and updates