Messi's Next Chapter: Ownership, Business and Youth Football
Lionel Messi bids farewell to Argentina, expands his football club ownership with UE Cornella and CD Eldense, and builds a $1.1bn business empire.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Lionel Messi retires from Argentina duty after World Cup defeat by Spain
- Inter Miami player contract runs through the end of the 2028 season
- Acquired ownership stakes in Spanish clubs UE Cornella and CD Eldense
- Forbes estimates his net worth at approximately $1.1 billion
Set for his 208th appearance, Argentina's most-capped player and record goal scorer will bid an emotional farewell in a friendly against Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. Widely regarded as Argentina's greatest ever player alongside Diego Maradona, he announced his retirement from international duty on August 31, six weeks after the World Cup final defeat by Spain, stating he had nothing left to give. Coach Lionel Scaloni insists he can change his mind anytime, but that international chapter appears closed.
His club career continues, however. His contract with Inter Miami runs until the end of the 2028 season, reviewed year by year, and those close to him expect him to fulfill every day of it. He is likely to renew if mentally and physically prepared. While Messi has never planned far beyond his next match, the shape of his post-playing career is already taking form within and beyond football.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
When asked whether he prefers being a coach or an owner, Messi chose ownership, noting that a coach lives and dies by every Saturday and deals with too many demands. An owner shapes club direction from a distance and wants deep involvement beyond merely hiring a manager. The groundwork is underway in Spain, where he purchased fifth-tier nursery club UE Cornella near Barcelona in April.
Messi's transition into club ownership in Spain, through acquisitions like UE Cornella and CD Eldense, highlights a growing trend among elite athletes building sustainable sports empires. Rather than taking traditional coaching roles, modern sports superstars leverage their personal brand and financial capital to secure direct governance and multi-club ownership models, ensuring long-term legacy and commercial growth.
CD Eldense in the second division announced Messi as its new owner on October 1, pending approval from the Spanish sports council CSD, appointing former Villarreal boss Javi Calleja as manager. In Uruguay, he and Luis Suarez founded Deportivo LSM in May 2025, securing promotion to the third tier in its debut season. Additionally, his youth tournament, the Messi Cup, expanded to 16 Under-16 academies hosted at Inter Miami's Florida facilities starting October 25, featuring clubs like Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona.
Outside the pitch, Messi's expanding business portfolio includes a lifetime Adidas deal signed in 2017, the MiM Hotels boutique chain comprising six properties operated by Melia since November 2025, and real estate investments in Rosario such as Carrasco M, alongside a partnership in the restaurant chain El Club de la Milanesa.
"Messi has never really planned beyond his next game. Even so, the shape of what lies ahead is already in front of us."
BBC Sport Report
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Source: BBC Sport
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