Messi buys Eldense: the Ballon d'Or lands in Hypermotion (and already has his showdown with Cristiano)

Yo what's up, legend? What I'm about to tell you sounds like a meme, but it's official: Leo Messi is the new owner of CD Eldense. Yeah, Eldense from Elda, the one in our Segunda División. The club announced it today on their website: the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has taken over the Alicante club. And here's the kicker: with Cristiano Ronaldo holding 25% of Almería, Hypermotion now has its own Messi versus Cristiano… in the boardroom.

📜 How the takeover went down

The deal was cooked up in September. On September 9, the club confirmed the agreement, subject to audit and legal procedures. Days later, according to Cadena SER and AS, Messi signed off on the purchase of 100% of the shares. And today, October 1, Eldense made it official with a statement: a long-term project to drive the club's sporting, institutional and social growth. Just one step left: the CSD's green light, mandatory under Sports Law for this type of operation.

The outgoing president, Carolina Holguín Tafur, said goodbye with a letter saying she was leaving with peace of mind, knowing the club was in the hands of someone who doesn't need an introduction.

🏟️ What is Eldense?

Club Deportivo Eldense was founded in 1921 in Elda (Alicante) and plays at the Nuevo Pepico Amat. In 2023 they returned to Segunda after 59 years, following a nail-biter playoff against Real Madrid Castilla (4-4 aggregate, promoted on better ranking), and stringing together three consecutive promotions. Today it's a humble club: sitting in the relegation zone, 19th with 5 points, and its salary cap is 5.79 million, among the lowest in the division.

⚔️ Messi versus Cristiano, also in Segunda

The best part is the crossover. According to Forbes, in February 2026 Cristiano Ronaldo bought 25% of UD Almería, who are currently third. So football's greatest rivalry now has a new chapter in Hypermotion: Messi's Eldense against Cristiano's Almería. They already faced each other in Almería on matchday 1, and the return leg will be in Elda on matchday 37, in early May. I've already got the date marked on my calendar.

🗓️ And tomorrow, Eldense's first match of the Messi era

The fixture list calls: Eldense host tomorrow Friday, October 2 at 20:30 Real Oviedo, in the match that opens matchday 8, which is also free-to-air. The full matchday is in the matchday 8 preview.

🤔 What could change in Elda?

In the short term, not much on the pitch: the market's closed until January and LaLiga sets the salary cap based on the club's accounts. In the medium term, everything: worldwide visibility, sponsors, facilities and the ability to attract players. There's already talk of a possible sports complex. And in January, with Messi backing them, Eldense could be the most interesting team in the Segunda market. That is, if they stay up, of course.

What do you reckon? Do you see Eldense in the top flight in a few years or is this just an investment play? Drop it in the comments. And if you're into the mega-rich owner thing, check out the highest-paid athletes in history: Messi ranks fifth, with around 1.99 billion dollars earned in his career.

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