Lionel Messi is gradually building a new chapter of his career away from the traditional role of football player. While the Argentine superstar remains active on the pitch with Inter Miami, his interests outside the game are becoming increasingly significant.
The latest move is particularly notable: Messi has become the new owner of Spanish club Club Deportivo Eldense, a team based in the Valencia region and currently competing in Spain's second tier.
The acquisition was announced by Eldense on Thursday, October 1, marking the beginning of a new era for the historic club.
Messi Adds Eldense to His Growing Football Portfolio
Founded in 1921, Club Deportivo Eldense has a long history in Spanish football. The club is based in Elda, in the province of Alicante, and has spent much of its existence outside Spain's top division.
Messi's arrival as owner represents one of the most important moments in the club's modern history.
In its announcement, Eldense presented the change in ownership as an opportunity to strengthen its position in professional football. The club has stated its intention to consolidate its status and continue growing in the years ahead.
For Messi, meanwhile, the investment represents another step into football management and ownership.
Rather than simply putting his name behind a commercial venture, the Argentine is becoming involved in the structure of professional clubs, potentially giving him experience that could become increasingly valuable after his playing career ends.
Spain Is Becoming an Important Part of Messi's Business Plans
The decision to invest in Eldense also reinforces Messi's growing connection with Spanish football.
The Argentine spent the most important part of his playing career in Spain with FC Barcelona, where he became one of the defining figures in the club's history.
His relationship with the country has therefore existed for decades, making his decision to invest in Spanish football particularly significant.
Eldense is not even Messi's first investment in a Spanish club.
Earlier in 2026, he became involved with UE Cornellà, a club competing in Spain's lower divisions. The acquisition of Eldense now gives Messi another presence within the country's football pyramid.
The two investments suggest that his interest in football ownership is not simply a one-off project.
A Career That Is Entering a Different Phase
Messi is still playing professionally for Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer club he joined in 2023.
His agreement with the American franchise also includes a future ownership component, meaning his relationship with Inter Miami could continue even after his playing days are over.
That makes his growing involvement in club ownership particularly interesting.
Messi has spent practically his entire adult life inside professional football. Moving gradually from being an elite player to becoming an investor and club owner allows him to remain connected to the sport from a completely different position.
The Eldense deal could therefore be viewed as part of a longer-term transition rather than an isolated investment.
From Football Superstar to Football Owner
Messi's career has already generated an enormous global business empire through sponsorships, commercial partnerships and other investments.
Club ownership introduces an entirely different challenge.
Running a professional football organization involves much more than the sporting side. Financial management, recruitment, infrastructure, commercial development and long-term planning all play important roles.
Eldense's stated ambition to grow within professional football could provide Messi and his business team with another opportunity to develop their experience in this area.
The club's history also gives the project a traditional football identity rather than being simply a newly created franchise.
The Timing Is Particularly Significant
Messi's latest acquisition comes at an important moment in his career.
After years of international competition with Argentina, the forward has now reached the final stage of his involvement with the national team. His international career has included major triumphs, most notably Argentina's Copa América success in 2021 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup victory.
With his international chapter coming to an end, attention is increasingly turning toward what Messi will do after football.
His continued involvement with Inter Miami, combined with investments in Spanish clubs, indicates that football ownership could become an important component of his future.
The Eldense acquisition gives that possibility an even clearer shape.
A New Challenge Beyond the Pitch
Messi's transition from player to businessman will inevitably be watched closely because of his extraordinary status in football.
Few players have had the same global influence, and his name alone brings considerable attention to any project associated with him.
However, ownership is fundamentally different from playing.
On the field, Messi's success was measured in goals, assists, trophies and individual awards. As an owner, the criteria are different: sustainable finances, sporting development, infrastructure and the ability to build a competitive organization over time.
Eldense could therefore become an important part of Messi's post-playing career.
For the Spanish club, the arrival of one of football's most recognizable figures represents an opportunity to attract greater international attention. For Messi, it offers another way to remain involved in the sport that has defined his life.
The next few years will show how ambitious the project becomes — and whether Eldense can turn the arrival of its famous new owner into sustained progress on and off the pitch.
Reference
Purepeople — “L'empire de Lionel Messi s'agrandit : la belle acquisition de la star argentine à plus de 10 000 km de sa terre natale.”