39-Year-Old Messi Returns to Spanish Football, Reportedly Acquires Two Clubs and Begins New La Liga Journey

On September 9 Beijing time, the full list of 30 Ballon d'Or nominees for this year was announced, with Messi making the shortlist for the 17th time. He has previously won eight Ballon d'Or awards. Messi's performances at the World Cup drew attention, as he helped Argentina reach the final in two consecutive editions and helped Miami win the MLS championship, giving him a chance to win the Ballon d'Or again. Off the pitch, Messi is also actively planning his post-retirement life. At the age of 39, he has returned to Spanish football and acquired full ownership of two clubs, with Messi set to pursue a La Liga challenge in a new role.

According to confirmation from renowned journalist Romano, Messi has acquired 100% of Segunda División club Eldense's shares and has officially become the club's new owner. Eldense is located in Elda, Alicante Province, in Spain's Valencian Community, which borders Catalonia. Spanish media reports have stated that Messi plans to settle there for a long period after retirement.

Eldense were promoted to Spain's second-tier Segunda División this season, but have not won a match so far, with a record of two draws and two defeats. They are third from bottom in the league and currently in the relegation zone. As a result, the club dismissed manager Barragán, who became the first Segunda División head coach to be sacked this season.

It is worth noting that Eldense's colors are the same as Messi's former club Barcelona, with both using red and blue. In the Segunda División, there is also a team connected to Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo acquired a 25% stake in Almería in February this year. Almería finished third in last season's Segunda División but failed to gain promotion to La Liga through the playoffs.

During the summer transfer period, Ronaldo's club Al Nassr played a friendly match against Almería and lost 0-2 to their opponents. Almería's record in the Segunda División this season is two wins and two defeats, placing them 12th temporarily. The two former rivals now both have teams of their own, meaning the competition between Messi and Ronaldo continues in a new form. The 'Messi-Ronaldo rivalry' has appeared again. After Messi completed the acquisition of Eldense, Ronaldo's Almería defeated Eldense 3-0 in the opening round of the Segunda División.

It is worth noting that Eldense is the second club acquired by Messi. In April, he also acquired Spanish fifth-tier club Cornellà, spending 2 million euros to obtain full ownership of the club. The article states that Messi has returned to Spanish professional football in a new capacity. If he can successfully operate Eldense and Cornellà and continue improving their strength, they could potentially compete with top clubs such as Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga in the future. If Messi remains in good condition, he may even take part personally, and fans will wait to see what happens.