Lionel Messi has become the new owner of Club Deportivo Eldense, a historic Spanish team currently competing in the Second Division. The institution officially announced this acquisition by the Argentine footballer on Thursday, October 1, presenting the operation as the beginning of a new era after more than a hundred years of history. The transfer, however, is still subject to the approval of the Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD).
“Club Deportivo Eldense officially announces the acquisition of the entity by Leo Messi, marking the start of a new and exciting phase in the more than one hundred years of history of the institution,” the club communicated. The arrival of the Argentine represents his entry as an owner in professional Spanish football with a project aimed at long-term development.
A sports project with long-term vision
Eldense explained that the new management will seek to promote three main dimensions of the institution: sporting, institutional, and social development. The goal will be to consolidate the team within professional Spanish football without losing the identity built over more than a century.
“The entry into professional Spanish football as the owner of CD Eldense by one of the most important figures in the history of the sport marks the beginning of a project with a long-term vision,” the official statement noted. The institution added that it aims to advance in its growth while preserving “its roots, history, and blue-and-burgundy sentiment.”
Founded in 1921 in the city of Elda, Alicante, the club is currently going through a challenging season in the Second Division. Messi's arrival thus appears as a bet to strengthen its structure and improve its competitiveness within a demanding category.
The operation still needs CSD approval
Although Eldense publicly introduced Messi as its new owner, the transaction is not yet fully closed from an administrative standpoint. The final step will be to obtain authorization from the Consejo Superior de Deportes, as established by Spanish legislation for such operations.
This issue is particularly important because Messi already has a stake in another Spanish institution. Reuters reported that the Argentine had previously acquired UE Cornellà, so the body will need to review the new operation within the current regulatory framework.
The purchase of Eldense had been under negotiation for several weeks. Before the official announcement, various reports indicated that there was a preliminary agreement to acquire the entity's shares and that the operation was pending the necessary review and authorization processes.
Messi expands his presence off the field
The acquisition represents another step for Messi in his football-related activities outside of his playing career. At 39 years old, the Argentine continues to play professionally for Inter Miami, but at the same time, he has begun to expand his presence as an investor and owner of sports institutions.
In the case of Eldense, the challenge will be to combine this new international projection with an institution that seeks to maintain its local identity. The club emphasized that the new phase does not intend to modify its roots but to use them as a starting point to consolidate its presence in professional football.
The announcement thus turned the historic team from Elda into one of the new business and sports projects of the Argentine. The institution summarized its goal with a central idea: to grow “in professional football” while simultaneously projecting “its roots, history, and blue-and-burgundy sentiment.”
