Lionel Messi announced as new owner of Spanish club Eldense

Lionel Messi has been announced as the new owner of Spanish club Eldense, in a takeover the Alicante-based side says will begin a historic new chapter in its more than 100-year history.

The club confirmed on Thursday that the Argentina great had acquired Eldense and described his arrival as the entry of “one of the most important figures in the history of sport” into Spanish professional football as its new owner.

Messi, who wrote a significant part of his football history with Barcelona, is now set to lead a project intended to reshape the club both on and off the pitch.

Eldense said the new ownership would be built around a “long-term vision”, with the central objective of promoting the club’s “sporting, institutional and social development”.

The club was founded in 1921 and said the takeover marked the beginning of an ambitious phase focused on establishing and expanding its position in professional football while fully preserving its identity.

Eldense also said the project would highlight its roots, history and “blue-and-crimson feeling”. The statement presented Messi’s arrival as part of a growth and development plan designed to protect the legacy the club has built over more than a century.

Takeover awaits approval

Although Eldense has officially announced Messi’s acquisition, the deal has not yet received final approval.

In its statement, the club said the transaction “is still awaiting the required authorisation from the National Sports Council”, in line with the provisions of Spanish sports law.

The approval means the completion of the takeover remains conditional, despite the club’s confirmation that Messi will become its owner. The requirement was also reported by Catalan newspaper Sport.

Once the necessary procedures have been completed, Messi will be able to formally begin his time at the head of Eldense. The project is intended to help the club “establish itself and grow in professional football”, while maintaining the identity and traditions associated with the Alicante side.

Eldense’s announcement links the former Argentina international’s arrival not only to a change in ownership, but also to a wider plan for sporting, institutional and social progress. The club says the development will allow it to continue moving forward on the field and away from it.