A wizard with a ball at his feet, Lionel Messi will test his success off the pitch when a real estate investment trust owned by the Argentine football star starts trading in Spain.
Edificio Rostower Socimi, which is owned by Messi's family investment vehicle, Limecu Espana 2010, has not yet traded, but will shoot for goal by seeking new investors, according to a Reuters news report.
The prospectus shows the trust received approval on 17 December to list 3,889,281 shares at 57.4 euros (A$95.28) each, capitalising the vehicle at 223 million euros.
Messi is named as Chairman of the trust, which is listed on the Portfolio Stock Exchange and owns hotels, office and retail properties and luxury homes.
Launched in 2023 and supervised by the Bank of Spain, the exchange allows trading only when a company seeks to sell shares or increase its capital.
The Portfolio Stock Exchange bills itself as the first stock exchange offering a primary and secondary market in the same platform.
Messi, 37, is regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, scoring more than 700 goals and winning three World Cups, 10 league and seven knock-competition titles in Spain, and four UEFA Champions League titles.
Most of the company's assets are in Catalonia, where he moved at the age of 13 to join FC Barcelona's youth team.
The eight-time winner of the Ballon d'Or - the code’s most prestigious award - wants to to live in Barcelona with his wife and three children after he retires from football, which is he still playing in the United States.