In what appears to have been a solid business idea, Indian beedi makers have signed Lionel Messi to be their brand ambassador. Take a look for yourself.
Now, just to make this idiot-proof, no, Messi didn’t actually sign up for beedi companies in India.
That said, he is now part of many celebrities who have unknowingly endorsed small Indian businesses. I have seen Hozier posters, with all his glorious locks outside salons. The same goes for Jared Padalecki.
Obviously, Lionel Messi is a tiny bit of a global superstar, which prompted a lot of Twitter reactions to his photo on beedi packets.
Messi is the second footballer to find his face on smokes. Previously English CB John Terry has expressed his disgust after being featured as the man on Gold Flake packets. I mean footballers have lungs to die for but putting their face on smokes is a bit on the nose.