Football, Endorsement | Lionel Messi becomes ambassador of a leading Chinese car brand

The current Fifa World Player of the Year, Lionel Messi, has agreed to become the international face of China's largest independent car manufacturer, Chery.
Details of the deal see the Argentina and Barcelona star become the international spokesman for the Riich line of cars, a luxury sub-brand of Chery.
Despite neither party revealing the financial terms the new deal is thought to be particularly lucrative considering China's car market grew by 45 per cent last year to 13.6 million vehicles with more double digit sales predicted for 2010. it is thought Messi stands to earn around US$1.5 million for the deal.
A spokesman for Chery, Jin Yibo said, "Messi is the best football player in the world, and thus he makes a great ambassador to represent our premium Riich brand."
Chery aims to double foreign sales to 100,000 in 2010 and exports to 70 developing countries in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.   [Via]