Lionel Messi is moving into the field of investors. The soccer superstar founded a company that invests worldwide in sports, media, and technology and becomes active in Silicon Valley.

Qatar will be Lionel Messi's last appearance for Argentina at a World Cup. After stepping down as captain of his national team, he will devote himself to another task that keeps him busy off the pitch.

The 35-year-old Argentine soccer superstar founded an investment company for sports and technology. San Francisco-based Play Time Sports-Tech Holding will be Messi's main investment vehicle, according to a statement first reported by «Bloomberg» (paywall).

Silicon Valley Expansion

The company will explore opportunities that could include helping startup founders build soccer technology companies or investing in teams.

«I am excited to extend our roots into Silicon Valley, and I am thrilled that Play Time will collaborate with daring entrepreneurs from all over the world,» Messi said in a statement. 

Bold Ideas

Razmig Hovaghimian, a partner at venture capital firm Graph Ventures, will run Play Time, and Michael Marquez, a founding partner of investment bank Code Advisors LLC, will serve as a special adviser, according to the report.

Hovaghimian also co-founded of football company Matchday.com, which counts Play Time among its initial investors and plans to launch before the start of the 2022 Fifa World Cup in November. The holding company also has a stake in soccer technology startup AC Momento.

«From the time I met Leo and the Messi family in 2017, it was clear that their vision for the future is bold,” Hovaghimian said in a statement. “They want to continue to have a direct and lasting impact on and off the pitch,» Hovaghimian said.

Fan Token Ambassador

In March, Messi became a global ambassador for fan token company Socios, receiving $20 million over three years, according to Reuters. Messi's social media presence of 400 million followers, has made him a sought-after business partner.

The former FC Barcelona footballer and current Paris Saint-Germain player in France's Ligue 1 is one of the highest-earning sports stars, with earnings of $120 million for the 2022/2023 season and career earnings of $1.15 billion.