Lionel Messi secures ownership of Spanish CD Eldense

Lionel Messi’s historic agreement marks a significant expansion of his involvement in football away from the pitch. The Argentine superstar extends deeper entry into the professional Spanish game as a club owner.

LIONEL MESSI TAKES FULL CONTROL OF ELDENSE

CD Eldense officially announced Messi’s acquisition on 1 October, describing it as the beginning of a new chapter in the club’s more than 100-year history.

The transaction involves the purchase of the shares previously held by Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group S.A.S., with Messi acquiring 100% of those shares. The deal remains subject to the required approval from Spain’s Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD) under the country’s Sports Law.

Founded in 1921, CD Eldense has never played in Spain’s top division. The club’s arrival into Messi’s ownership portfolio therefore gives the former Barcelona superstar a direct presence inside professional Spanish football.

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The acquisition follows Messi’s purchase of Catalan club UE Cornellà earlier in 2026, giving him ownership interests in two Spanish clubs at different levels of the football pyramid.

A NEW CHAPTER IN THE RIVALRY WITH RONALDO

The takeover also adds a fascinating new dimension to one of football’s most famous rivalries.

Earlier in 2026, Cristiano Ronaldo acquired a 25% stake in UD Almería, another club competing in Spain’s second tier. The investment was made through CR7 Sports Investments and forms part of the ownership consortium led by Mohamed Al Khereiji and SMC Group.

That means Messi and Ronaldo, whose rivalry dominated the playing era of European football, now have ownership interests in competing clubs within the same division.

Their roles are different, however. Messi is taking control of CD Eldense, while Ronaldo holds a minority stake in UD Almería.

For CD Eldense, the arrival of Messi brings a globally recognised name into the club’s long-term project. The club has said the objective is to promote its sporting, institutional and social development while consolidating its position in professional football.

For Messi, the move represents a further expansion of his involvement in football beyond his playing career with Inter Miami.

The next stage will depend on the completion of the regulatory process in Spain, but the announcement has already created a remarkable new storyline in Spanish football, with Messi and Ronaldo now connected to rival clubs in the same professional division.