Lionel Messi acquires Spanish football club Cornella

On Thursday, April 16, it was officially announced that Argentine football star Lionel Messi has acquired 100% of the shares of the Spanish club UE Cornella. The club, founded in 1951, currently competes in the Tercera RFEF, the fifth tier of the Spanish football league system. Messi aims to utilize this investment to support the club's long-term development, with a specific focus on its youth academy. The academy is historically known for producing notable players, including David Raya, Jordi Alba, Keita Balde, and Juan Puado. This acquisition marks Messi's first venture into football club ownership within Europe. The move is intended to strengthen his ties to Catalonia and implement a structured project for professional youth talent development. Other prominent players, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe, have recently made similar investments in European football clubs.