La Liga president Javier Tebas has described it as an honour that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of football's greatest rivals, are now both investing in Spanish football away from the pitch entirely.

Ronaldo already holds a financial stake in a Spanish second tier side, and Messi's own move into Spanish club ownership has now been confirmed, with Segunda Division outfit CD Eldense announcing on Wednesday that the Argentine great has reached an agreement in principle to become the club's new owner.

The eight time Ballon d'Or winner already owns fifth tier Spanish side Cornella, based in Barcelona, meaning the Eldense deal represents a significant step up in scale compared with his existing holdings in the domestic game.

Interest in the move has been amplified by Messi's deep history in the country, having spent 21 years at Barcelona and establishing himself as the club's greatest ever player before departing amid financial turmoil in 2021.

Tebas addressed the reports while attending the presentation of the Panini LaLiga EA Sports sticker album, revealing that he had first learned of the Eldense deal through media coverage rather than any official channel at the time.

"I found out about the Eldense thing through the media. I don't know if it's true or not, whether Messi has bought it or not, whether it's a group or just him," Tebas told reporters, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

Regardless of the finer details still emerging, Tebas struck an overwhelmingly positive tone, pointing to Ronaldo's own investment in Spanish football as evidence of a wider trend among the sport's biggest names.

"We must remember that 25 per cent of Almeria is owned by Cristiano Ronaldo. It is an honour that the two greatest players in the world in recent years are thinking of investing part of their savings in Spanish football," he said.

Ronaldo completed his own move into Spanish club ownership in February, acquiring a 25 per cent stake in second tier side Almeria and giving the Portuguese forward a direct financial foothold in the country's football pyramid.

With Messi's Eldense deal now confirmed in principle, both players hold significant interests in Segunda Division clubs simultaneously, despite their very different ownership structures and long term ambitions for the respective sides.

The parallel carries particular symbolism given their shared history, with Messi and Ronaldo having spent nine seasons locked in direct rivalry while representing Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively at the peak of their playing careers.

Between them, the pair amassed 81 trophies and became the only two players in history to surpass 900 career goals each, defining an entire era of the sport through their sustained individual and collective success.

Messi's exit from Barcelona in 2021 came as a direct consequence of the club's financial difficulties, bringing an end to 17 years in which his performances for both Barcelona and Argentina earned him multiple Ballon d'Or awards.

Ronaldo, for his part, left Real Madrid in 2018 as the club's all time leading goalscorer, having won 13 major titles during his spell in the Spanish capital, including four Champions League triumphs alongside his individual accolades.