Messi's decision to buy a club follows his recent involvement in youth football, such as the inaugural 'Messi Cup' held in Miami last December. That tournament featured Under-16 teams from global giants like Newell’s Old Boys, Inter Milan, River Plate, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City, and his former club Barcelona. This takeover is the natural progression of his desire to shape the next generation of footballing talent.
By entering the world of club ownership, Messi joins an elite group of active and former players. He follows in the footsteps of his current boss at Inter Miami, David Beckham, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently purchased a 25 percent stake in Almeria, and Thibaut Courtois at Le Mans. Other notable owners include Kylian Mbappé (SM Caen), Luka Modric (Swansea), Hector Bellerín (Forest Green Rovers), Gerard Piqué (FC Andorra), N’Golo Kanté (Royal Excelsior Virton), Sadio Mané (Bourges Foot 18), and César Azpilicueta (Hashtag United).