Messi becomes club owner! Argentina legend buys Spanish side near Barcelona

Lionel Messi has officially stepped into football ownership after completing the full purchase of Spanish lower-league side UE Cornella.

The 38-year-old Inter Miami star has acquired a 100 per cent stake in the Catalonia-based club.

Cornellà’s location makes this move particularly symbolic. The club is based just a few miles from the iconic Camp Nou, where Messi built his legendary career with Barcelona.

In an official statement, the club highlighted this deep-rooted connection: “This move reinforces Messi’s close ties to Barcelona and his commitment to developing sport and local talent in Catalonia.”

Messi spent over two decades in the region, investing feel like a return to familiar ground.

Founded in 1951, Cornellà currently compete in Spain’s fifth tier and are pushing for promotion back to the fourth division.

The club described Messi’s arrival as transformational: “Leo Messi’s arrival marks the beginning of a new chapter, aimed at driving both sporting and institutional growth.”

Cornellà already boasts a strong reputation for youth development, having produced talents like David Raya and Jordi Alba, the latter a longtime teammate of Messi at both Barcelona and Inter Miami.