Lionel Messi has acquired 100% of the shares in Spanish second-tier club CD Eldense, expanding his involvement in football ownership beyond his playing career.
The deal, announced by CD Eldense on 1 October, marks the start of what the club described as a new chapter in its more than 100-year history. It is subject to approval from Spain’s Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD) under the country’s Sports Law.
Messi’s purchase covers the shares previously owned by Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group S.A.S. Once the regulatory process is completed, the former Barcelona forward will have full ownership of the LaLiga Hypermotion club.
Founded in 1921, CD Eldense have never competed in Spain’s top division. The acquisition gives Messi a direct position within professional Spanish football and further develops his growing portfolio of club interests.
The Argentine had already bought Catalan club UE Cornella earlier in 2026. His investment in CD Eldense means he now owns interests in two Spanish clubs operating at different levels of the football pyramid.
The takeover also links Messi’s post-playing career to that of Cristiano Ronaldo, whose rivalry with the Argentine was one of the defining features of European football during their time on the pitch.
Ronaldo acquired a 25% stake in another Spanish second-tier club, UD Almeria, earlier in 2026. That investment was made through CR7 Sports Investments and forms part of an ownership consortium led by Mohamed Al Khereiji and SMC Group.
Messi and Ronaldo are therefore now associated with rival clubs competing in the same division, although their positions are not identical. Messi is taking control of CD Eldense, while Ronaldo owns a minority share in UD Almeria.
For CD Eldense, Messi’s arrival brings one of football’s most recognisable figures into its long-term plans. The club said the objective was to support its sporting, institutional and social development, while also consolidating its place in professional football.
The move represents another step in Messi’s involvement in the game away from the pitch, following his playing career with Inter Miami.
CD Eldense’s ownership announcement has already created a new storyline in Spanish football, but the completion of the takeover will depend on the required approval from the CSD.
