Footballer Lionel Messi buys Spanish club, UE Cornella

Superstar footballer, Lionel Messi, has ventured into football ownership.

The Inter Miami star, 38, has purchased 100 per cent of UE Cornella, a club located on the outskirts of Barcelona.

Messi will have full control of the Spanish football club in the fifth tier, based just five miles from Camp Nou.

It is not clear how much the Argentinian forward paid for UE Cornella, but it marks his first step into club ownership.

UE Cornella said in a statement that 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,’ they added.

UE Cornella, founded in 1951, play in the Tercera Federacion Group 5. They are third in the table, behind Manresa and Badalona, and have hopes of promotion to the fourth tier.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya and ex-Barcelona star Jordi Alba are among the players to have come through the ranks at UE Cornella.