Lionel Messi nears deal to acquire Spanish club Eldense

Lionel Messi, the greatest footballer most people will ever watch, is apparently not content with merely dominating the sport from the pitch. He wants to own a piece of it too. The Argentine icon has reached a preliminary agreement to acquire 100% of CD Eldense, a club competing in Spain’s Segunda División, the country’s second tier of professional football. The deal would see Messi purchase the club from Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group S.A.S., which took ownership of Eldense in October 2025. From player to proprietor This isn’t Messi’s first move into club ownership. He acquired UE Cornellà, a fifth-tier Spanish side, back in April 2026. Eldense represents a significant step up: a club with actual professional status, a century of history, and a fanbase that shows up to games. Eldense, founded in 1921, plays at the Estadio Municipal Nuevo Pepico Amat, a ground with a capacity of 5,776 seats. The club boasts roughly 3,500 season-ticket holders, meaning on a good day the stadium is about 60% full. It recently earned promotion back to the Segunda División, Spain’s competitive second flight that serves as a launchpad for ambitious clubs eyeing the top tier. One notable ...