Messi Set to Become Owner of Spanish Football Club

(Lionel Messi. Photo by AI Jazeera)

Lionel Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to take over Eldense, a Spanish second-tier club.

The deal is subject to final checks and approval from Spain's National Sports Council.

Eldense is currently owned by Colombian investment group Grupo TH, which also owns clubs in Colombia and Switzerland.

If the deal is completed, Eldense would become Messi's second Spanish club.

Lionel Messi acquired Spanish club Cornella in April 2026.

The Barcelona-based club plays in the fifth tier and has produced notable players including Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya and Messi's former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba.

However, Eldense would be Messi's first investment in a professional club in Spain, as Cornella remains semi-professional.

Lionel Messi, 39, is also partially involved alongside Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez in Uruguayan club Deportivo LSM.

Eldense and Cornella are currently separated by three divisions, so ownership of both is unlikely to cause immediate problems.

However, Spain's Royal Football Federation would probably not allow both clubs to compete in the same division if Lionel Messi becomes majority owner of both.

Eldense was founded in 1921 and spent most of their history outside Spain's top two divisions.

The club returned to the second tier in 2023 for the first time since 1964 but were relegated in 2025 before returning to the division this summer.

Eldense have failed to win any of their four matches this season, leading to the dismissal of coach Claudio Barragán earlier this week.

The club is currently without a manager.

Eldense play their home matches at the Nuevo Pepico Amat, a stadium with a capacity of 5,776 in the city of Elda.