Football Icon Messi Makes Shock Move: Takes Control of Spanish Club Eldense!
Lionel Messi is nearing a preliminary agreement to acquire Spanish second-tier club Eldense, marking his first investment in a professional Spanish team. This move would add to his existing club ownerships and potentially raise questions about multi-club competition rules, as Eldense faces a difficult start to its season.
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is reportedly on the cusp of expanding his football investment portfolio within Spain, having reached a preliminary agreement to acquire Spanish second-tier club Eldense. This proposed deal, which remains contingent on successful due diligence and subsequent approval from Spain’s National Sports Council, marks a significant step for Messi, as Eldense would be his first investment in a professional Spanish football club. The information regarding this potential takeover comes from ESPN, citing sources close to the ongoing negotiations.
Messi, the 39-year-old football icon, has already ventured into club ownership within Spain, having acquired Spanish fifth-tier side Cornella in April 2026. However, Cornella currently operates at a semi-professional level, distinguishing it from the professional status of Eldense. Beyond Spain, Messi is also involved with Uruguayan club Deportivo LSM, where he shares an investment interest with his Inter Miami teammate, Luis Suárez. Eldense is presently owned by the Colombian investment group Grupo TH, which maintains various interests in football clubs across Colombia and Switzerland.
Should the transaction proceed and be finalized, Messi would become the owner of two Spanish football clubs. While Eldense and Cornella are presently separated by three divisions, which would not immediately pose a competition issue, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) would likely prevent both clubs from competing in the same division if Messi were to become the majority shareholder of both entities. This regulatory consideration highlights the complexities of multi-club ownership within a single national league system.
Club Deportivo Eldense, founded in 1921, boasts a long history, though much of it has been spent outside Spain’s top two football divisions. The club made a notable return to the second tier in 2023, a feat not achieved since 1964. Despite this achievement, they faced relegation in 2025 but secured an immediate return to the second tier just this past summer, demonstrating their resilience and ambition.
Currently, Eldense is navigating a challenging period in the ongoing campaign. The club has experienced a difficult start, failing to secure a single victory in their initial four matches of the season. This poor run of form led to the dismissal of their coach, Claudio Barragán, earlier in the week, leaving the club without a manager. Eldense plays its home matches at the Nuevo Pepico Amat stadium, a facility located in Elda with a seating capacity of 5,776.