Lionel Messi has completed the purchase of CD Eldense, a Segunda Division club in Spain, becoming the owner of his second Spanish club in just over half a year. The Argentine had already taken majority ownership of UE Cornella, a fifth tier Catalan side, earlier this year.
The deal still needs to complete the due diligence process and secure approval from Spain's National Sports Council, the body that oversees this kind of ownership change in Spanish football. Eldense had been acquired in October 2025 by a Colombian investment group led by Juan Carlos Trujillo, after Argentine businessman Ricardo Pini had offered around 12 million euros for the club without ultimately closing the deal.
Eldense currently sit 19th of the 22 teams in the Segunda Division, with a single win and five points from seven matches played. Messi, who plays for Inter Miami in MLS after announcing his retirement from the Argentina national team in August, now adds a second Spanish club to a fortune estimated at around 715 million euros, built through salaries and endorsement deals with brands including Adidas and Pepsi.
The purchase also adds a dose of personal rivalry to Spain's lower tier football. Cristiano Ronaldo already owns a 25 percent stake in UD Almeria through his CR7 Sports Investments vehicle, and the Portuguese star has said contributing to football "beyond the pitch" had been "a longtime ambition" of his. Almeria have already beaten Eldense 3 to 0 this season, and the next meeting between the two clubs, now with Messi and Ronaldo as owners, is scheduled for May.