Lionel Messi has officially become the new owner of Spanish club Eldense, marking a historic change for the Alicante-based side and opening a new chapter in its more than 100-year history.
The announcement was made by Eldense on Thursday, with the club describing the Argentina great as “one of the most important figures in the history of sport” to enter Spanish professional football as an owner.
Eldense said Messi’s arrival at the club represented the beginning of a project based on a “long-term vision”. The new ownership intends to support the club’s sporting, institutional and social development, with the aim of helping it continue to progress both on and off the pitch.
Founded in 1921, Eldense said it was entering a period defined by ambition while retaining its established identity. The club’s stated objective is to consolidate and grow within professional football without losing the character it has built over more than a century.
In its announcement, Eldense said the project would seek to highlight the club’s “roots, history and blue-and-crimson feeling”. The statement presented Messi’s involvement as part of a wider plan for development and growth, rather than a departure from the club’s traditional identity.
Spanish Sports Council approval still required
Despite confirming the takeover, Eldense stressed that the deal has not yet completed all the necessary formalities.
“The transaction is still awaiting the mandatory authorisation from the Spanish Sports Council,” the club said in an official statement, citing the requirements of Spanish sports law.
That means Messi’s acquisition has been announced, but it remains conditional on approval from the relevant authority. The outstanding requirement was also reported by Catalan newspaper Sport.
Once the process has been completed, Messi will be able to formally begin his tenure at the head of Eldense. The club said the project’s central aim was to establish and expand its presence in professional football while continuing to protect its heritage.
Eldense’s announcement links the former Argentina international’s entry into Spanish football ownership with a long-term plan focused on sporting progress, institutional development and social growth. The club has not indicated any change to its name or identity, and its statement underlined its intention to preserve the traditions associated with its Alicante origins.
