Messi agrees to buy second Spanish club, Eldense

Messi is buying a second club in Spain as he prepares for life after his playing career

Lionel Messi has agreed to purchase 100 per cent of the shares in the Spanish football club Eldense, which plays in the second division. The deal, which is still subject to the necessary legal procedures and approval by the Spanish Higher Sports Council, could form part of Messi’s long-term strategy to maintain his presence in the football industry after he retires from playing.

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Messi expands his football investments

According to Reuters, Messi has reached an agreement in principle to acquire all the shares in Eldense from the Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group S.A.S. The financial terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.

‘Eldense’ is based in Elda, in the province of Alicante, and plays in Spain’s second-tier division. The club has faced sporting difficulties at the start of the current season: after four matches, the team had secured just two points, and head coach Claudio Barragán was sacked.

For Messi, this will be his second Spanish football club. In April 2026, he acquired UE Cornellà, which competes at a lower level in the Spanish football system. The new project focuses on developing young players and returning the team to the second division.

However, formally speaking, Eldense will not be Messi’s second football asset overall. In Uruguay, he and Luis Suárez co-own Deportivo LSM, which plays in the country’s fourth division.

Footballers are moving from playing to owning clubs

Investing in football clubs is becoming one way for famous players to continue their careers in the industry after retiring from playing.

Messi is not the only example in this regard. In February 2026, Cristiano Ronaldo acquired a 25 per cent stake in the Spanish club Almería, which plays in the second division. In 2024, the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé became the majority owner of Kana, acquiring around 80 per cent of the club’s shares.

Former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué acquired Andorra in 2018 through his company Kosmos. Another example is David Beckham, who, after retiring from playing, became a co-owner of Inter Miami and continued to develop his business directly within the football industry.

In this way, club ownership allows former players to retain their influence over football in a different capacity – as investors, owners and participants in the management of sporting projects.

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