Lionel Messi Takes Ownership of Spanish Second Division Club Eldense
Lionel Messi, the star forward for Inter Miami, has officially taken control of Eldense, a team competing in Spain's second division. This marks Messi's first investment in a professional Spanish football club.
The Alicante-based club, previously owned by the Colombian investment group Grupo TH, confirmed the takeover on Thursday. Grupo TH holds stakes in several clubs across Colombia and Switzerland, and this deal marks the third ownership change for Eldense within a year.
The acquisition still awaits approval from Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD). Once approved, it will signal a new chapter for Eldense, setting ambitious goals for the club’s future.
A Step Into Professional Club Ownership
This is Messi’s first venture into owning a professional club in Spain. Earlier this year, he purchased the fifth-division side Cornella, which remains semi-professional.
In their official statement, Eldense showed great excitement about Messi’s arrival, emphasizing the potential transformation his involvement could bring:
"The arrival of one of the most significant figures in sports history into Spanish professional football as the owner of CD Eldense signals the beginning of a long-term project aimed at driving the club's sporting, institutional, and social development."
Club History and Ownership Considerations
Founded in 1921, Eldense has spent most of its existence outside the top two tiers of Spanish football. They play home matches at the modest Estadio Nuevo Pepico Amat, which holds 5,776 spectators.
The club earned promotion to the second division in 2023 for the first time since 1964, faced relegation in 2025, and returned again to the second tier just this summer. Outside Spain, Messi also co-owns Uruguayan team Deportivo LSM with his Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez.
Owning both Eldense and Cornella does not present immediate conflicts due to the three-division gap between them. Yet, should Cornella climb the leagues, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) would likely prevent both teams from competing in the same division under Messi's majority ownership.
Current Challenges and Next Steps
Eldense faces a tough start to the season, having failed to secure a win in their first four league games. This poor run led to the sacking of head coach Claudio Barragan earlier this week. Currently, the club is without a manager while the takeover process continues.
The key priority now is obtaining formal approval from the CSD to finalize the acquisition. Simultaneously, the new leadership must move quickly to appoint a new head coach to stabilize the team's performance on the field.
