Jarnews Desk

Lionel Messi left Spain in 2021, leaving behind the brightest moments of his life at Barcelona. Although the Argentine legend is currently at US club Inter Miami, his relationship with Spanish football is not over yet. Now he is on the verge of taking ownership of another club in Spain.

Initial agreement to buy Elden

Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to buy Spanish second division club Eldena, according to sports media outlet ESPN. However, the deal is not yet finalized – the club’s financial and legal aspects will first be verified, then approval from Spain’s National Sports Council will be required.

If all goes well, Eldena will be Messi’s second club in Spain to be owned by him, after he bought fifth division side Corneja earlier this year. Since Corneja is a semi-professional club, Eldena will be Messi’s first professional club in Spain.

History and current status of Eldens

Eldenas is currently owned by Colombian investment group Grupo TH, which also has clubs in Colombia and Switzerland. Founded in 1921, Eldenas has a relatively short footballing history; the club has spent most of its time in the lower tiers of Spanish football. Eldenas was promoted to the second division for the first time since 1964 in 2023, but was relegated two years later. The club returned to the second division this summer.

Eldena, however, is having a tough time after returning to the second division. The team has not won a single match in four games so far this season. In the meantime, coach Claudio Barragan has been fired and the club is currently operating without a new coach.

Messi’s sports business empire

Messi’s football club ownership is expanding, with the 39-year-old also partly owning Uruguayan club Deportivo LSM alongside Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez.

Messi is unlikely to face any immediate problems in Spain over his ownership of Eldense and Cornella, as the two teams are three places apart in Spanish football – Cornella is in the fifth division and Eldense is in the second. However, that could change in the future. If Messi becomes the majority owner of both clubs and somehow they end up in the same division, complications could arise, as the Royal Spanish Football Federation may not allow two teams with the same owner to play in the same division.

Small field, big dreams

Eldenas’ home ground, Nuevo Pepico Amat, is not that big either—it only holds 5,776 spectators. But the small club, under Messi’s leadership, is now in the midst of a major transformation. If the deal is finalized, Eldenas will be owned by one of the biggest stars in world football history.