Lionel Messi has completed his purchase of CD Eldense, the Spanish second division club has announced, with the deal still subject to regulatory approval.
Eldense confirmed the acquisition on their website, describing it as the start of a new chapter for a club with more than 100 years of history. The Alicante-based side said the arrival of one of the most important figures in the history of sport as owner marked the beginning of a long-term project aimed at promoting the club’s sporting, institutional and social development.
The move makes Eldense the second Spanish club Messi has invested in, following his purchase of Catalan side Cornellà in April. The Argentina great had reached a preliminary agreement in September to become Eldense’s majority shareholder, and that process has now been completed.
On the pitch, Eldense are 19th in the 22-team Spanish second division, with one win and five points from their opening seven games.
Messi, who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, announced his retirement from international football in August. He currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, having joined the American club in 2023 after two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain. Before that he spent the bulk of his career at Barcelona, where he won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns, scored a record 672 goals in 778 appearances and made his first-team debut aged 17 in October 2004, having left Argentina for Spain at 13. He is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
He is not the only recent high-profile investor in Spanish football. His former Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo, now playing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, bought a 25% stake in Almería in February.