Lionel Messi has completed the takeover of Barcelona non-league club, Cornellà..

The Athletic, citing Spanish local sources, reported on Thursday that legendary Argentina international striker Lionel Messi has completed the takeover of Cornellà, a non-league club in Barcelona.

The report states that Messi has fully acquired all shares of the club. The takeover process is currently under review and approval by the Spanish Football Federation and the Catalan Supreme Court.

The report adds that before proceeding with the takeover, Messi consulted with friends in the football industry, including David Beckham, Gerard Piqué, and David Villa, who also have experience acquiring other clubs. All of them expressed their support for his decision.

Since Messi has previously stated his desire to return to Barcelona with his family and children, acquiring Cornellà was one of the best ways to fulfill this wish and expand his brand and business empire.

It is worth mentioning that Cornellà and Messi already had some prior connections before this takeover.

In October 2025, Messi announced an annual under-16s football tournament called the Messi Cup, designed to discover talented young players and offer winners the opportunity to learn at the Barcelona and Cornellà football academies.

The inaugural Messi Cup was held in Miami in December 2025, with youth academies from clubs such as Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Manchester City, Inter Milan, Inter Miami, River Plate, and Newell's Old Boys participating.

Founded in 1951, Cornellà is a club located in Cornellà de Llobregat, Catalonia, a town just a 20-minute drive away from Barcelona. Their home ground is adjacent to the home ground of another prominent Catalan club, Espanyol.

Since its founding, Cornellà has never played in a league above the Spanish Third Division. Currently, they compete in the Spanish Fifth Division.

Despite this, Cornellà has produced numerous household names among Spanish international players, including Messi's former teammate Jordi Alba, Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper David Raya, and current Barcelona youngster Gerard Martin, all of whom had played for the club's youth academy.

Image source: Internet / The Athletic