Huawei has announced that soccer player Lionel Messi is its new global brand ambassador, after the superstar ended his previous relationship with Samsung.
"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," Huawei handset business president Kevin Ho said.
The terms of the sponsorship deal were not disclosed.
According to the giant Chinese vendor, FC Barcelona's greatest scorer understands the sacrifices made by his family to achieve his aspirations.
"You have to fight to reach your dream. 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 for reaching other achievements," Messi said.
Huawei has invested in several soccer teams in the last few years, including Atlético de Madrid and the AC Milan – as well as sponsoring individual players.
Internationally, Huawei's first sporting sponsorship deal was in Australia, supporting the National Rugby League's Canberra Raiders. That relationship continues to the current day.
Huawei Latin America chief executive Tyrone Liu said: "We are happy to announce our collaboration with an extraordinary individual who inspires people all over the world to pursue their dreams, to face challenges to become better with each day."
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