Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo is getting another chapter â only this time, the two football icons will not need to lace up their boots. Messi has agreed in principle to take control of Spanish second-tier club CD Eldense, potentially putting him in direct competition with Ronaldo-backed UD AlmerĂa in LaLiga Hypermotion.
The date to watch is May 2, 2027, when Eldense are scheduled to host AlmerĂa. If Messi’s takeover is completed and Ronaldo retains his AlmerĂa stake, the game could become the first official league meeting between clubs controlled or backed by the longtime rivals while both investments are in place.
Messi’s Eldense takeover: What we know
Messi has agreed to acquire the shares currently held by Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group SAS, Eldense’s majority shareholder.
The transaction is not yet complete. Legal and contractual procedures, due diligence and authorization from Spain’s Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD) remain before the takeover can be finalized.
No official purchase price has been disclosed.
Eldense are based in Elda, Alicante and compete in Spain’s second professional tier, meaning Messi could control a club only one promotion away from LaLiga.
Messi is expanding his football portfolio
Eldense would add to Messi’s growing interests in club ownership. The Argentine acquired UE CornellĂ , a Catalan club competing in Spain’s fifth tier, earlier in 2026.
He has also been involved with Deportivo LSM alongside longtime friend and former Barcelona teammate Luis SuĂĄrez in Uruguay.
Those projects suggest Messi’s move for Eldense is part of a broader push into football investment rather than a one-off deal.
Ronaldo owns 25% of AlmerĂa
The Ronaldo connection turns the takeover into a major sporting storyline.
Ronaldo acquired a 25% stake in UD AlmerĂa through CR7 Sports Investments in 2026. He described contributing to football beyond playing as a long-held ambition and highlighted the Spanish club’s potential for growth.
Ronaldo has already seen his football interests collide. AlmerĂa beat his current club Al-Nassr 2-0 in a pre-season friendly in August.
The business side of the sport is also driving major commercial moves elsewhere, including the reported Liverpool and Turkish Airlines sponsorship agreement.
AlmerĂa have already beaten Eldense 3-0
Eldense and AlmerĂa have already met this season, with AlmerĂa winning 3-0 in August. That match came before Messi’s proposed takeover, so it was not a Messi-Ronaldo ownership battle.
The return fixture is different. The official LaLiga Hypermotion calendar lists Eldense vs AlmerĂa for May 2, 2027.
It comes on Matchday 37, late enough for promotion or relegation pressure to add another layer to the game.
Fraser Minten Lands $50 Million Bruins Contract
Eldense need results, not just attention
Messi’s name would instantly raise Eldense’s global profile, but the club has immediate problems on the pitch.
Eldense collected only two points from their opening four matches, putting them in the relegation places early in the 2026-27 campaign.
For supporters, the bigger questions will therefore concern recruitment, coaching, academy development, investment and whether new ownership can establish Eldense in the second tier.
Football investment is increasingly shaping clubs’ ambitions at every level, with projects such as the major new sports arena planned in Philadelphia also showing how ownership and long-term infrastructure can change a team’s commercial outlook.
Messi vs Ronaldo enters a new era
For years, Messi and Ronaldo’s rivalry was decided through Barcelona vs Real Madrid, El ClĂĄsico goals, Champions League runs, trophies and Ballon d’Or awards.
This time the measures would be different: results, recruitment, promotion, academy development and club growth.
Neither player is expected to take the field when Eldense meet AlmerĂa, so calling it another direct Messi-Ronaldo match would be misleading. It could instead become the first competitive meeting between a Messi-controlled club and a Ronaldo-backed club.
Has Messi officially bought Eldense?
Not yet. Messi has reached an agreement in principle, but the acquisition still needs to clear the remaining legal, due-diligence and regulatory stages. No confirmed purchase price has been announced.
If everything is completed, Messi would become Eldense’s controlling shareholder while Ronaldo remains a 25% investor in AlmerĂa.
After nearly two decades of their rivalry being measured on the pitch, Messi vs Ronaldo could now have a new scoreboard â the success of the clubs they help build.
Make Swikblog your go-to source on Google for reliable updates, smart insights, and daily trends.
