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Analysis
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GOAT rivalry renewed! How Messi and Ronaldo will clash again in Spain
13 Sep 2026 02:30 CDT |
9 min read
Analysis
From league wins, to Champions League titles to even Ballon d’Or trophies, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were and still are arch rivals.
The pair defined a football generation and many consider them to be the two greatest players in the history of the sport.
They are both in the twilight of their careers now - Ronaldo at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and Messi at Inter Miami in the United States, respectively. Retirement is on the horizon and both men have alluded to it in recent interviews.
So, what comes after that?
Well, club ownership is set to be a big part of both their lives moving forward. And, it may be the case that we see a club part-owned by Ronaldo take on a club owned by Messi in Spanish football…
This week, Messi reached an agreement to acquire Eldense, a club in Spain’s Segunda Division.
Eldense are currently owned by an international investment group of Colombian origin, headed by businessman Juan Carlos Trujillo, who completed the purchase of the club from Pascual Perez in October of 2025.
In the months leading up to Messi’s takeover, there had been reports that Argentine businessman Ricardo Pini was interested in buying Eldense for a fee of approximately €12 million before the football superstar got involved, reports Marca.
The Eldense purchase comes just a few months after the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner became the majority shareholder in another club, fifth-tier outfit UE Cornella, who are based in Catalunya.
“UE Cornella announces that Argentinian footballer and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Leo Messi has formalized the acquisition of the club, becoming the new owner of the Baix Llobregat institution,” an official club statement read in March.
“This move reinforces Messi’s close ties to Barcelona and his commitment to the development of sport and local talent in Catalonia — a connection rooted in his years at FC Barcelona and sustained ever since.
“Messi’s commitment to young talent is also reflected in the club’s strong youth structure, with teams competing in the top youth categories at both national and regional levels. This commitment has also been demonstrated by the Argentina captain through other youth development initiatives, such as the Messi Cup — a tournament that held its first edition last December in Miami, featuring eight of the world’s top U16 teams (Newell’s Old Boys, Inter Milan, River Plate, Inter Miami, Atlético de Madrid, Chelsea FC, Manchester City, and FC Barcelona).
“Leo Messi’s arrival marks the beginning of a new chapter in the club’s history, aimed at driving both sporting and institutional growth, strengthening its foundations, and continuing to invest in talent. The project is guided by a long-term vision and a strategic plan that combines ambition, sustainability, and a strong connection to its local roots.”
Eldense represents a more significant investment for Messi as they play at a much higher level in the Segunda Division, and although they have started the current campaign poorly, an investment from the Argentine could give them the infrastructure they need to pursue a promotion to La Liga, where they could face his beloved Barcelona.
Messi’s net worth is around €715 million and his wealth has been generated through his enormous salaries with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami and well as lucrative sponsorships with the likes of Adidas and Pepsi.
Though he currently lives and continues to play in the United States, he has previously expressed a desire to one day return to Barcelona and Catalunya to live, so these new investments make sense.
Ronaldo invests in Almeria
Like Messi, much of Ronaldo’s legacy was formed in Spain, where he is Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer, and he also returned to the country by purchasing a stake in Almeria earlier this year.
An official announcement from the club confirmed that Ronaldo bought 25% of Almeria’s shares. These will be held under CR7 Sports Investments, which is a new subsidiary of CR7 SA, which holds the player’s investments in the sport sector.
Ronaldo said: “It has been a longtime ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch. UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth. I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to support the club’s next phase of growth.”
Mohamed Al Khereiji, meanwhile, hailed Ronaldo’s investment and is optimistic that the former Real Madrid player’s insight will be vital to the development of Almeria.
The president said: “He is regarded as the greatest to ever play the game, he knows the Spanish leagues very well and he understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the academy.”
Interestingly, Almeria have already beaten Eldense this season, 3-0, and their next meeting with Messi and Ronaldo as owners comes in May.
Should Ronaldo ever own Almeria outright, we could see a Florentino Perez-Joan Laporta style get-together in the stands as the two old rivals continue their perennial connection.
