Rafael Nadal is probably the most famous Spanish athlete in the world right now, and he wants his country to “stay the same.”

During a recent interview, the world no.1 criticized the plans for an independence referendum called by Catalonia’s pro-separatists that should be held October the 1st.

Rafa is a Catalan speaker, and he has a solid relationship with “Catalonia.” The King of Clay has won the ATP500 in Barcelona 10 times, and the center court at Barcelona’s Royal Tennis Club that hosts the Barcelona Open was renamed after him.

Why Nadal is against the Referendum

During a recent interview, Rafa vented his unhappiness about the idea of a possible independence of Cataluña from the rest of Spain. Nadal is also upset about the upcoming referendum that has been deemed as illegal by the Spanish government and the country’s Constitutional Court. 

Nadal commented

“I think what is happening on October 1 ought not to take place because, from my point of view, everyone should respect the law,” Nadal told Spanish newspaper El Mundo on Tuesday.

The laws are what they are and one can’t skip the laws because you want to skip them. I can’t run a red light because that traffic light doesn’t seem right to me.

I feel very close to the Catalans and I feel very Spanish as well. I don’t understand Spain without Catalonia. I don’t want to understand or see it. 

I believe that together we ought to be able to understand each other, and I think we have to make an effort to reach an understanding because I think we are, without any doubt, stronger together than separated. Spain is better with Catalonia and Catalonia is better with Spain from my point of view.”