Carolina Holguin urges Lionel Messi to protect Eldense’s future after takeover
Lionel Messi has completed his takeover of Eldense, bringing an end to Holguin’s presidency at the Estadio Municipal Nuevo Pepico Amat and opening a new era for the Spanish club.
Holguin, who acquired Pascual Perez’s shares in October 2025, leaves after helping Eldense’s men secure a return to La Liga while also pushing the development of the women’s side and the academy. She has urged supporters to welcome Messi from his first day in charge.
In her farewell message, the departing president said handing control to Messi was a matter of “enormous pride” and gave her reassurance that the club had been placed “in the best hands”. She asked the Argentina captain to protect the club’s identity, respect its importance to local people and bring major ambitions to Elda.
Her spell in charge included difficult operational work and several decisions that proved unpopular as she sought to safeguard Eldense’s finances. Holguin acknowledged the complexity of those calls but said she believes the future “can be extraordinary” with what she described as world football’s greatest living legend now at the helm.
What happens next
Eldense’s immediate task is on the pitch. They host Eibar this weekend after collecting five points from their first five Segunda Division matches, a return that has left them 16th. A home win would offer an early lift and help move the team clear of the lower end of the table as Messi’s ownership begins.
