Lionel Messi has cultivated a sporting legacy unlike any other. To the majority of the soccer world, he’s the greatest player who has ever lived, seemingly immune to Father Time and still capable of hanging with the very best at the age of 39.

World Cup glory in Qatar saw Messi, in the words of English commentator Peter Drury, “conquer his final peak”, ensuring his glittering career wouldn’t end with a nagging sense of cruel unfulfillment.

His work in North America this summer merely enhanced his standing, even if a flawed, chaotic Argentine outfit came up just short and Kylian Mbappé harshly snatched the Golden Boot away from his grasp. Now, a soccer-crazed nation is preparing for a state of consternation.

Messi may no longer be the beating heart of La Albiceleste, having called time on his international career after 208 matches and an endless list of records that surely won’t ever be topped. Nevertheless, the 39-year-old has no intention of riding off into the sunset and leaving soccer behind.

He’s setting himself up for a life that continues to revolve around his first love, tying soccer in with a developing business interest. "I would like to keep learning [about business] because I know nothing, and I am just starting out," Messi told the America Business Forum last year.

Messi’s going down the club ownership route, and he’s already got his fingers in a few pies.

Deportivo LSM

Messi has been involved in a joint-venture with former Barcelona and current Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez. Together, they established a new club, Deportivo LSM, in Uruguay, Suárez’s homeland.

It’s Suárez’s initiative, with the center forward’s project starting out with the funding for a 20-acre sports complex built in 2018. It is home to a synthetic turf stadium that boasts a capacity of 1,400.

“I’m proud and happy that you chose me, so I hope to contribute everything I can to continue growing and, above all, to be by your side in this,” Messi said to Suárez after his involvement in the project came to light.

The newly established club is located in Ciudad de la Costa, the second-most populous city in Uruguay, and they’re now competing in the third tier of Uruguayan soccer after earning promotion in year one.

However, the owners have already cut ties with inaugural manager Rafael Cánovas after a disappointing start to the new season. Former Nacional striker Álvaro Apólito was sworn in as his successor at the end of September.

UE Cornellà

While Messi is supporting Suárez’s project in Uruguay, he has full ownership of UE Cornellà.

The Argentine completed his purchase of the club in April, with Cornellà currently competing in Spain’s fifth tier. Founded 75 years ago in 1951, it’s one of Catalonia’s most historic clubs, and upon the new owner’s arrival, Cornellà wrote: "This move reinforces Messi’s close ties to Barcelona and his commitment to the development of sport and local talent in Catalonia."

Messi has spent much of his adult life in Catalonia, given that he joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000 and didn’t leave the Blaugrana until the club’s financial woes forced him to move on to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

Spanish journalist Guillem Balague says Cornellà is the "nursery where young players grow", with Arsenal’s David Raya and outstanding left back Jordi Alba among the most notable alumni.

It’s a club built around progress, with Messi thinking long-term.

CD Eldense

Cornellà may have been Messi’s first purchase, but CD Eldense is the Argentine’s baby.

Eldense announced Messi as their new owner at the start of September, and Balague writes that the Spanish second-tier club will "lead Messi’s football operation".

"The arrival of one of the most important figures in the history of the sport as owner of CD Eldense marks the beginning of a long-term project aimed at promoting the club’s sporting, institutional, and social development," Eldense wrote after Messi’s arrival was made official.

While the club’s new owner is keeping a close eye on the goings-on in Alicante, Messi is placing his faith in those he trusts to run the show until he can dedicate more of his time to the project.

They’ve hired former Villarreal manager Javi Calleja to help steer them to safety, with survival key for the new regime.

Inter Miami

Messi may never don Albiceleste colors again, but he hasn’t called time on his playing career just yet. His contract with Inter Miami doesn’t expire until 2028, and assuming his level of performance doesn’t drastically dip over the next couple of years, there’s scope for the Argentine to extend his stay with the Herons.

He’s the highest earner in Major League Soccer (MLS), set to make more than $28 million in guaranteed compensation from the league for the 2026 season and up to $60 million more from Inter Miami themselves. Still, Miami’s Messi gamble has doubtless paid off from both a sporting and commercial perspective.

And his ties to the franchise won’t cease when he retires. His contract with Miami includes an option to become a minority owner once he hangs up his cleats, although the size of this stake is unclear.