Lionel Messi buys Catalan soccer franchise UE Cornella

April 16 (UPI) -- Argentine soccer icon Lionel Messi purchased UE Cornella of Spain's Tercera Federacion, the fifth-tier Catalonia-based franchise announced Thursday. Terms were not announced.

"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," Cornella said in a news release.

Jordi Alba, one of Messi's former teammates at Inter Miami and Barcelona, goalie David Raya, Javi Puado, Keita Balde, Aitor Ruibal and Ilie Sanchez are among the players who have played for Cornella.

"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," Cornella said.

"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)."

Cornella (16-7-7) sits in third place in Group V of the Tercera Federacion. The Catalan club will meet Grama in another league match Sunday in Barcelona.

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This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 2:23 PM.