Messi emerges as one of Pique’s backers for Davis Cup as the legendary tennis competition gets new ownership
You could not accuse Gerard Pique of thinking small when it comes to his company’s partial takeover of the Davis Cup, one of the most historic competitions in any sport.
It transpires that among the list of his blue chip and billionaire backers is Lionel Messi, his long time friend and Barcelona team-mate.
Pique revealed the Argentinian superstar’s involvement prior to the draw for November’s inaugural finals week, launched on Thursday night at this city’s stately seat of regional government.
Great Britain, champions of 2015 at a time when Pique’s Kosmos enterprise was unheard of in tennis, were drawn to face Kazakhstan and Holland in the round robin stages, not exactly the group of death.
Prior to that, Pique sat down to give an expansive insight into his motives for his company’s 25-year deal to run the competition. It is one of the more curious tie ups that the global business of sport has seen, and one that this most decorated of footballers has somehow found time to do while playing more minutes in La Liga this season than any other player.
Those with a stake include Oracle tycoon, Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest men, and Japanese e-commerce billionaire, Hiroshi Mikitani. Also in the background is Messi, who Pique says is the most informed of his Barcelona colleagues about the project.
‘Leo knows more than anyone about this because he is involved in Kosmos,’ said Pique, dappered in a business suit with a handkerchief protruding from his breast pocket.
‘He is a partner, he is part of the Kosmos family, he likes tennis. We have a relationship of 18 years since he arrived at the club and I always try to share with him things I’m thinking, he loves to be part of it and he wanted to be part of it.’
Pique’s partner is Latin pop superstar, Shakira, with whom he has two children, and he admits that his Barcelona team-mates wonder how he fits everything in, while producing displays on the pitch that have been getting rave reviews.
‘They said to me they don’t understand how I’m doing all of this. Some of them don’t follow it but some of them know about it, and they are pretty excited and want to come to Madrid.