Lionel Messi has expanded his football ownership portfolio by taking control of Spanish second-division club CD Eldense, adding a professional team to a growing collection of investments in the sport.
Eldense announced Thursday that the Argentina great had acquired the club, describing the move as the beginning of a new chapter in its more than 100-year history. The transaction, however, remains subject to authorization from Spain's High Council for Sports under the country's Sports Law.
"The Club Deportivo Eldense officially announces the acquisition of the entity by Leo Messi, marking the start of a new and exciting stage in the club's more than 100-year history," the club said in a statement.
Eldense said Messi's arrival represents the start of a long-term project focused on the club's sporting, institutional and social development. The club also said it wants to establish itself in professional football while maintaining its history and blue-and-red identity.
The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The deal makes Eldense Messi's second Spanish club investment after he acquired UE Cornella in April. Cornella compete in Spain's lower divisions, making Eldense his first ownership venture involving a professional club.
Messi's latest move follows an agreement in principle announced by Eldense in September, when the club said he was preparing to acquire 100% of the shares held by Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group S.A.S., its previous majority shareholder. The transaction then went through the remaining legal and contractual procedures before Thursday's announcement.
Founded in 1921, Eldense is based in Elda, a city in Alicante province in eastern Spain. The club has spent most of its history outside the country's top two divisions and has never played in La Liga.
Eldense returned to Spain's second tier in 2023 after a six-decade absence. It was relegated after the 2024-25 season but returned to the division last season.
The club is now attempting to establish itself in professional football while navigating the financial and sporting demands of the Segunda División, known commercially as LaLiga Hypermotion.
Eldense entered the new season near the bottom of the standings. The club had five points from its first seven matches, with one win, two draws and four losses, leaving it in 19th place in the 22-team division.
The ownership change therefore comes at a significant point for a club seeking greater stability on the field and a stronger foundation off it.
Eldense is the latest addition to a football portfolio that Messi has begun building while continuing his playing career.
The 39-year-old remains with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and has also taken a controlling interest in Cornella, a Catalan club competing in Spain's lower divisions. Cornella has a reputation for youth development and has produced players who went on to play at higher levels.
Messi also has an ownership connection to Uruguayan club Deportivo LSM alongside longtime friend and former Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez. He is continuing his playing career in Miami while expanding his involvement in football away from the field.
His move into club ownership gives him a direct stake in the running and development of professional football institutions, particularly in Spain, where he spent the majority of his playing career with Barcelona.
The Eldense acquisition also comes as Messi's playing career moves into its later stages. His career has included a World Cup title with Argentina in 2022 and a record eight Ballon d'Or awards.
