Messi eyes new era as Barcelona’s golden age fades, balancing ownership, business and legacy

BUENOS AIRES, 6 OCTOBER 2026 —

Lionel Messi is set to bid a final, emotional farewell to the Argentina national team in a friendly against Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, marking the end of a career that has defined an era for the country.

This match serves as the definitive close to a chapter that began with his announcement of retirement from international football on 31 August, a decision made just six weeks after the World Cup final defeat by Spain.

The significance of this farewell extends beyond the pitch, signaling a transition for Messi from the global spotlight of international competition to a multifaceted role as a club owner, business magnate, and youth football advocate.

While Coach Lionel Scaloni has publicly insisted that Messi can return to the national team if he ever changes his mind, stating there is no embarrassment in doing so, those close to the player indicate that this particular chapter is firmly closed. Messi stated he had nothing more to give, a sentiment that aligns with his current focus on long-term projects that extend far beyond the immediate pressures of a Saturday match.

His immediate future remains anchored in club football, where his contract with Inter Miami runs through the end of the 2028 season. Although the agreement is reviewed year by year, insiders suggest that Messi is unlikely to leave before the contract expires, provided he feels mentally and physically capable of continuing.

The structure of his post-playing life is already taking shape, characterized by a deep involvement in football ownership and a diverse business portfolio that reflects his ambition to remain central to the sport’s commercial and developmental aspects.

Messi has explicitly chosen the role of owner over that of a coach, a decision driven by his desire to avoid the daily intensity and broad responsibilities of managing a team. He views the owner role as allowing him to shape a club’s direction from a slightly removed position, yet he intends to be involved in every aspect of the operation, rather than merely approving managerial appointments and stepping away.

This hands-on approach is evident in his recent acquisitions in Spain, where he is building a network of clubs that serve as both investment vehicles and platforms for his footballing philosophy.

The groundwork for this ownership empire was laid with the purchase of UE Cornella in April, a club located on the edge of Barcelona in the fifth tier of Spanish football. Cornella is intended to serve as a nursery for young players, providing a foundation for his broader operations.

More significantly, CD Eldense, a club in the second division, announced on 1 October that Messi would become its new owner, subject to authorization from the Spanish sports council, the CSD. Eldense is positioned as the leading club in his football operation, with the immediate goal for the current season being to avoid relegation rather than immediate promotion.

To manage this transition, former Villarreal boss Javi Calleja has been appointed as manager, a move designed to stabilize the club during the ownership change. The plan involves running both Cornella and Eldense through trusted intermediaries who will act as links between Messi and the clubs until he can devote his full attention to them. For now, Messi closely follows every Eldense match on his computer, demonstrating his active engagement.

After Eldense’s 4-1 victory over Real Oviedo, his first public message as owner was an Instagram post reading "Aupa Deportivo," a gesture that quickly resonated with the club’s supporters and commercial partners.

The commercial impact of Messi’s name has been immediate and substantial. Within a couple of days of the ownership announcement, around a dozen sponsors came forward, including brands that had previously engaged with the old owners without closing deals and others with existing relationships with Messi.

This influx of interest underscores the economic value of his brand, which Forbes estimated at approximately $1.1 billion in June, with earnings of around $140 million over the previous year split between football and business. His most visible endorsement remains the lifetime deal with Adidas, signed in 2017, which continues to anchor his commercial profile.

Beyond club ownership, Messi’s business interests span hospitality, real estate, and consumer goods. His MiM Hotels brand, which takes its name from Messi and the Majestic hotel group, operates six boutique properties ranging from Ibiza to Andorra. Since 1 November 2025, these hotels have been managed under a rental agreement with Melia, running within the Melia Collection.

In his hometown of Rosario, his family firm is investing in Carrasco M, a development of 24 homes by the Parana river, with sales handled by the property agency of his former teammate, Ángel Di María. Additionally, he is a partner in the restaurant chain El Club de la Milanesa, which plans to open five branches in Catalonia, with the first location in Castelldefels.

Messi’s commitment to youth football is equally prominent, serving as a counterbalance to his commercial ventures. He founded the Messi Cup, a tournament for Under-16 academies, which began in 2025 with eight teams. Despite initial expectations that he would attend only one or two games, Messi sat through every match on every day, demonstrating his personal investment in the development of young talent.

This year, the tournament has expanded to 16 teams, including major clubs such as Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Arsenal, and will be held from 25 October at Inter Miami’s facilities in Florida. Newell’s Old Boys, the club where Messi played as a child, is one of the participating academies, keeping a link to his roots alive.

The management of these diverse interests is overseen by a team of trusted individuals, many of whom have been with him since his early days at Barcelona. This structure ensures that Messi is only offered opportunities he is comfortable with, allowing him to set his own relationship with the business world without external pressure.

The foundation of this business acumen was laid by his father, Jorge Messi, who managed his affairs from the start and whose early advice led to some initial difficulties with Spanish tax authorities. By the time Jorge fell seriously ill and died in August at the age of 68, the company had grown into established branches for TV production, marketing, media, and commercial partnerships.

Messi’s vision for his future is not limited to Europe and Miami, though these remain his primary bases. A franchise of his own in the United States is not part of the current plan, although he will hold some shares in Inter Miami upon his retirement.

While a return to Newell’s Old Boys or a spell at Napoli, the club of Maradona, may have crossed his mind in casual conversations with Luis Suarez, nobody close to the player expects such a move. Instead, the perfect home for his family is waiting in Castelldefels, close to the sea and Barcelona, where he can oversee his operations and continue to learn.

In a recent address to the America Business Forum in Miami last November, Messi articulated his mindset toward his commercial endeavors, stating, "Business is something that interests me. I would like to keep learning because I know nothing and I am just starting out." This humility and willingness to grow define his approach to the next phase of his life.

As he prepares for his final match against Benin, the focus shifts from the tears and records of his playing days to the strategic and personal investments that will define his legacy off the pitch. The golden era of Messi the player is ending, but the era of Messi the owner and entrepreneur is just beginning, with a clear roadmap and a network of trusted allies in place to support his ambitions.

Related: Inter Miami · Lionel Messi · Buenos Aires