Lionel Messi Takes Control of Spanish Second-Division Club CD Eldense
The Messi Eldense takeover is official. Lionel Messi has completed the acquisition of Spanish second-division club CD Eldense, the club announced on Thursday, with the deal subject to regulatory approval. The 39-year-old becomes the majority owner of a second Spanish club in the same year.
What the deal involves
Messi agreed the deal last month to buy 100 per cent of the shares held by Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group S.A.S., the club’s current majority shareholder.
“Club Deportivo Eldense officially announces the acquisition of the club by Leo Messi, marking the start of a new and exciting chapter in the club’s history, which spans more than a hundred years,” the club said in a statement on its website.
The transaction still requires a licence from the Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD), Spain’s National Sports Council, before it can be completed. Eldense described the arrival of “one of the most significant figures in sports history” as the beginning of a long-term project aimed at the club’s sporting, institutional and social development, while preserving its identity and roots.
What the Messi Eldense takeover means on the pitch
Messi walks into a club in trouble. Eldense sit 19th in the 22-team Segunda Division after seven matches, with one win, two draws and four defeats. Five points from seven games leaves them inside the relegation zone, and the club has been without a manager since coach Claudio Barragan was sacked earlier this week.
Eldense were founded in 1921 and play their home games at the 5,776-capacity Nuevo Pepico Amat stadium in Elda, in the province of Alicante. The club returned to the second tier this summer after relegation in 2025, having been promoted in 2023 for the first time since 1964. Most of its history has been spent in Spain’s lower divisions.
A growing ownership portfolio
This is the second Spanish club Messi has taken over this year. On April 16, he bought fifth-tier side UE Cornella, which plays at semi-professional level, making Eldense his first professional club investment in the country.
With three divisions between the two sides, there is no immediate conflict under Spanish football’s multi-club rules. The situation could become complicated if the clubs ever rose to the same division, since the Royal Spanish Football Federation would be unlikely to allow one majority shareholder to control both.
Messi’s football interests now stretch across three countries. He is partially involved alongside former teammate Luis Suarez in Uruguayan side Deportivo LSM, and he is expected to take a stake in Inter Miami, where he currently plays, once his playing contract ends. He recently retired from international duty with Argentina.
FAQs
When was the Messi Eldense takeover announced?
CD Eldense announced the takeover on Thursday, October 1, 2026, on the club’s official website.
Is the deal complete?
Not yet. The acquisition is subject to approval from Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD).
Who did Messi buy the club from?
A Colombian investment group, TH Soluciones Group S.A.S., which was the club’s majority shareholder.
Where do Eldense play?
At the Nuevo Pepico Amat stadium in Elda, Alicante province, which holds 5,776 spectators.
Which other clubs is Messi involved with?
He bought Spanish fifth-tier side UE Cornella in April 2026, is involved with Uruguay’s Deportivo LSM alongside Luis Suarez, and is expected to take a stake in Inter Miami once his playing contract ends.
