Lionel Messi becomes Huawei's global brand ambassador. (Photo : Getty Images)
China’s Huawei has brought in soccer superstar Lionel Messi as its global ambassador to help promote the Chinese telecommunications company’s brand.
The 28-year-old Argentine striker is officially in team Huawei after the Chinese company signed him in as their global ambassador via a two-year contract on Friday, China Daily reported.
According to Huawei's smartphone unit head He Gang, the company expects a boost in sales of their smartphones with Messi as their global brand ambassador.
"We are looking at a long-term partnership with Messi because Huawei and Messi desire victory," he said in a statement.
Huawei refused to reveal the contract's exact worth, but some reports are putting it at about 5 million to 6 million euro ($5.6 million to 6.7 million), a reasonable price for the Argentine soccer player's decision to leave his two-year relationship with Korean smartphone maker Samsung.
Huawei's Handset Business, Huawei Consumer BG President Kevin Ho believes that with Messi on board, their campaign would immediately be a success.
"Lionel Messi will help our brand to encourage people to focus, persevere and breakthrough, to connect with greatness, especially in Europe, Asia and Latin America where Huawei has great devotions," Ho said as quoted by the Jamaica Gleaner.
When asked what he thought of his new partnership with Huawei, Messi said: "You have to sacrifice and go all in, always looking forward to achieving greatness. The day you think there are no improvements to be made, you have to keep working to reaching other achievements."
Huawei has continuously proven to be a top contender in the telecommunications industry and has been repeatedly lined up with the likes of Apple and Samsung.
Lionel Messi will be the latest addition to the famed athletic brand ambassadors of the company, joining fellow football players Alexis Sanchez and Robert Lewandowski, Money Control noted.
