Lionel Messi will become the majority shareholder of a club in Spain's second division

Lionel Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to acquire a majority stake in Spanish club Eldense, from Alicante, according to an announcement by the team, which competes in La Liga 2. The transaction is motivated by the footballer’s expansion of his investments in Spain and is not yet final.

Eldense said that the acquisition of the shares held by Grupo TH Soluciones depends on the completion of legal and contractual procedures, including the financial and administrative due diligence process. The deal must also receive approval from Spain’s National Sports Council.

If the transaction is completed, Eldense will become the second Spanish club in which Messi has invested, after Cornellà, the Catalan team he bought in April. The former Barcelona forward, aged 39, currently plays for Inter Miami.

Eldense is enduring a difficult start to the season: it has collected two points from four matches and sits 20th in the second-division standings. The club recently parted ways with coach Claudio Barragán.

Messi has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or for the 17th time, one nomination behind Cristiano Ronaldo. The Argentine has won the award eight times and returned to the shortlist after missing the 2024 and 2025 editions.