From South Florida to Alicante: Messi's Second Spanish Takeover

Lionel Messi is expanding his portfolio in Spain before his playing career even hits the brakes. Spanish daily AS reported that the 39-year-old forward has agreed to buy La Liga 2 side CD Eldense in full. His legal team is currently finalizing terms with TH, a Colombian investment group that controls the club.

An official announcement is expected within days. If completed, this marks Messi's second club purchase in Spain, adding to his existing stake in fifth-tier CD Cornella. Moving into the second division represents a significant step up in financial exposure and administrative complexity.

The timing of the news comes right on the heels of major changes in Messi's career. As Mirror Football reported, Messi announced his international retirement last month following Argentina's 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup final in New Jersey.

At 39, the Inter Miami star is clearly mapping out his post-playing career while still under contract in South Florida. But taking full control of a second-tier Spanish club while active in Major League Soccer carries serious operational risks.

The Brutal Reality of La Liga 2 and the Eldense Trap

CD Eldense is not a stable asset waiting for capital injection. The club currently sits in the La Liga 2 relegation zone, facing the real threat of falling into the third tier. Relegation in Spanish football guts television revenue and forces drastic wage cuts.

Unlike fifth-tier CD Cornella, where operating costs remain low, La Liga 2 demands heavy financial commitments. Squad maintenance, travel logistics across Spain, and strict La Liga financial fair play rules create constant pressure. Inheriting a team mid-season in the drop zone is a baptism by fire for any owner.

Spanish football is littered with lower-tier clubs that swallowed owner investments without yielding returns. Buying a distressed asset in Alicante while living six time zones away in Miami compounds the challenge. Remote ownership rarely ends well when results on the pitch start turning sour.

Eldense's current owners, Colombian firm TH, have been looking for an exit route as sporting results deteriorated. Handing the reins to Messi brings immediate publicity, but publicity does not fix broken defensive transitions or poor recruitment decisions.

If Eldense drops to the third tier, Messi's initial capital outlay will lose value almost immediately. It is a high-risk gamble on a club with limited commercial appeal outside its local region.

Walking Away From Argentina to Protect a 39-Year-Old Body

Messi's move into executive ownership coincided directly with his exit from international duty. He wrote his retirement statement on July 21, two days after Argentina lost the World Cup final to Spain. The personal loss of his father, Jorge, shortly after the tournament further solidified his choice.

In an emotional Instagram message posted last month, Messi made his decision public after two decades of service to Argentina:

"It was a decision that hurt, and still hurts, to my core, but I understand that it's the right time. I swear that I always gave my all, not just in the last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this jersey."

He added that a new generation needed space to step up while his own physical capacity reached its natural ceiling:

"There's not much time left, and chapters are closing, and this is one that hurts me deeply. I love, loved, and will always love being on the National Team. I've given everything I have; I have nothing more to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming up behind me who deserve to be there."

Cutting international fixtures saves Messi thousands of flight miles every season. Long-haul trips across South America for qualifiers exact a severe toll on an aging athlete's recovery schedule. Stripping those matches from his calendar is essential to maintaining his weekly output in Major League Soccer.

Managing the 39-Year-Old Body Through 2028

Earlier this year, Messi signed a contract extension with Inter Miami that keeps him in South Florida through the 2028 MLS season. He will be 41 years old when that agreement expires. Playing elite professional football at that age requires strict physical preservation.

Aging muscle fibers lose elasticity, increasing the risk of hamstrings giving out during quick changes of direction. Sprint recovery takes days longer than it did when Messi was tearing through La Liga defenses in his late twenties. Joints stiffen, and inflammation becomes a daily management issue for club physios.

In Miami's humid summer climate, logging 90 minutes every weekend requires tailored training schedules. Dropping international duty allows Inter Miami's sports science team to manage his workload with precision, eliminating midweek high-stress matches across different continents.

Yet even with reduced miles, expecting a 39-year-old forward to carry an MLS team through 2028 is ambitious. Muscle strains and fatigue have already interrupted his recent campaigns. Miami must carefully limit his sprint volume to prevent major soft-tissue injuries.

Without international breaks clogging the schedule, Messi can focus entirely on single matchweeks. That single-minded focus is his best shot at reaching 41 while still playing at an elite level.

The Multi-Club Portfolio vs. Active Player Focus

Messi's decision to acquire a 100 per cent stake in CD Eldense alongside CD Cornella builds a multi-club pipeline in Spain. In theory, Cornella in the fifth tier acts as a grass-roots feeder, while Eldense in La Liga 2 provides second-tier exposure for developing talent.

Multi-club models have grown popular among international investment groups, but they are rarely managed by active players. Juggling boardroom decisions, squad budgets, and managerial hires while preparing for MLS matches creates obvious friction.

When Eldense drops points on a Sunday in Spain, Messi will be preparing for training in South Florida. Will he be reviewing scouting reports for La Liga 2 transfers between Inter Miami tactical sessions? The potential for split focus is real and concerning.

Furthermore, managing lower-league Spanish clubs demands hands-on resolution of local issues. Boardroom disputes, player union grievances, and local stadium lease negotiations require constant attention. Relying entirely on proxy management teams can quickly lead to financial missteps.

Messi's star power will undoubtedly attract sponsors to Eldense, but brand value does not guarantee tactical stability or competent squad assembly.

A Risky Transition Strategy With No Easy Answers

Great players rarely make smooth transitions into football club ownership. Operating a club requires an entirely different skill set than dissecting defensive lines on the pitch. Distressed clubs in lower divisions consume capital quickly if leadership lacks operational rigor.

If CD Eldense avoids relegation from La Liga 2, Messi's group secures a competitive footprint in Spanish football. That footprint could serve as a valuable asset once he hangs up his boots in Miami.

However, if Eldense stumbles into the third tier, Messi will face his first major failure in executive management before his playing career has even ended. It is a harsh reminder that football finance is far less forgiving than talent on the grass.

As Messi approaches the final chapters of his playing days, his focus is split across two fronts. He must keep his body intact for Inter Miami through 2028 while steering a troubled Spanish club out of the drop zone from across the Atlantic.

The era of Messi the player is entering its final years. The era of Messi the owner is starting with a high-stakes fight for survival.