Lionel Messi Reaches a Deal to Become the Majority Owner of La Liga 2 Club CD Eldense

The pending acquisition requires formal authorization from Spain’s National Sports Council before Messi takes full control.

Summary

Lionel Messi reaches a preliminary agreement to become the majority shareholder of La Liga 2 side CD Eldense

This Alicante-based club announced the pending acquisition amid a coaching shakeup and a turbulent start to their season

The takeover expands the 39-year-old forward's growing Spanish football portfolio following his international retirement

Following his retirement from the international stage, Lionel Messi is expanding his footprint in the Spanish football hierarchy. The 39-year-old forward, currently playing for Inter Miami, formally reached a preliminary agreement to become the majority shareholder of CD Eldense. Announced by the second-division club on September 9, 2026, the pending acquisition signals a massive power move for the Argentine icon. This boardroom pivot arrives during a transitional phase for the player, coming just after he finished his international career following Argentina’s heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. Instead of fading into the twilight of his playing days, Messi is reshaping his post-pitch legacy by increasing his investments within the Spanish sporting ecosystem.

The blueprint for the high-profile takeover is in motion, though the final paperwork is not yet complete. This transaction involves Messi acquiring the controlling club shares currently owned by Grupo TH Soluciones. Navigating the bureaucratic requirements of a professional franchise requires a standard due diligence process alongside an array of other vital legal and contractual procedures. Outside of the boardroom agreements, the acquisition requires formal authorization from the Spanish National Sports Council (CSD) before the star can take full control of the organization.

Messi inherits a complex rebuilding project, as the Alicante-based club is currently navigating a turbulent start to their campaign in La Liga 2. At the time of the ownership announcement, CD Eldense sat in 20th place in the standings with a mere two points from four games. Internal pressure has already sparked operational shifts; earlier in the week that the preliminary agreement went public, the squad parted ways with head coach Claudio Barragan. Despite the front-office shakeup, the CD Eldense first team is preparing for an upcoming match against Real Sporting de Gijón.

This impending takeover represents the second major Spanish football club that Messi has invested in this year, expanding a portfolio that bridges multiple levels of the competitive pyramid. His La Liga 2 venture follows a move in April 2026 to purchase the Catalan fifth-tier side Cornella. By securing a second-division franchise to complement his grassroots investment, the forward is orchestrating a structural transition away from international duty, utilizing his cultural capital to construct a Spanish football empire that outlasts his playing days.