Lionel Messi is the new global ambassador of TATA India’s largest automaker

India's largest automaker, Tata Motors, has roped in Argentine soccer icon Lionel Messi as its global brand ambassador for the passenger vehicles category—where the company has been struggling.

This is the first time that Messi will endorse an Indian brand.

"The idea is to engage with young people, and we found that football and Messi had a lot of connect with the youth," Mayank Pareek, Tata Motors' president for the passenger vehicle business unit, told the Press Trust of India. The company's contract with Messi is for two years, which can be extended.

Tata Motors holds just a 5.72% market share in India's passenger vehicle market. The company has seen tepid growth in the segment during the current fiscal year, with sales even falling month-on-month sometimes:

But, the company says it is on the verge of turning its fortunes.

"Tata Motors is at a defining juncture in its evolution as it gears up to disrupt the passenger vehicles industry," the company said in a statement. "Taking these offerings to consumers with aggressive and innovative marketing is an equally important area of focus for the company."

The new brand ambassador will also help the Indian auto major "connect with its global audience effectively," it said.

The advertising campaign—the first part of it is ready to be rolled out—has been over five months in the making. Ads for the campaign have been directed by Spanish producer and director Daniel Ben Mayor, and shot in Barcelona. There are also plans to launch merchandise range for the campaign with Messi.

Will it work? In cricket-mad India, football's following, though growing, is relatively small. But an endorsement from the world's best footballer is bound to get attention.

10 Richest NBA Players in History

Not only do professional athletes get idolized for playing great game, they also get paid the big bucks to do it. A pro NBA player rakes in a hefty salary each season as well as lucrative endorsement deals for things like appearing on a box of Wheaties or making an appearance at a corporate event. Savvy NBA players also branch out into entrepreneurship and entertainment– some opening restaurants or starring in multi-million dollar blockbuster films. At the end of the day, they are just great athletes but also great businessmen. Here’s a look at the 10 wealthiest NBA players of all time, Can you guess how high on the list are Magic Johnson and Air Jordan?

Gary Payton – $130 million

Starting the list off is Gary “the glove” Payton’s career, who began his career in 1990 after he was the second overall pick in the first round of the NBA draft. During his time at Oregon State University, Payton rose to become one of the school’s best players to date. After being drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, he went onto create one of the most lucrative careers in basketball history. With a career spanning nearly two decades, Payton is the only point guard to have received the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. On top of that, he also happens to be the 10th richest player in NBA history.

Tim Duncan – $150 million

Tim Duncan may be one of the highest earning basketball players of all time, but surprisingly, he only started playing ball when he was a freshman in high school. Before discovering his talents for basketball, Duncan was training as a swimmer.

Despite the late start, he played basketball throughout high school, perfected his skills and eventually went on to play for Wake Forest.

In 1997, he was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs as their first pick– quite an achievement in such a short amount of time. He was honored as MVP in 2001/2002 and went on to play in the Olympics or for the US basketball team. On top of all this, Duncan is considered one of the best power forwards of all time.  No wonder he earns top dollar!

Grant Hill – $180 million

Grant Hill is not only one of the most famous NBA players in history, he’s also one of the richest ever. Even in his current retirement, Hill is still raking in nice money thanks to his endorsement deals and smart business ventures.

During his time playing at Duke University in North Carolina, he won two NCAA championships and played in the 1996 Olympics.

He retired from basketball at the end of the 2013 season but hasn’t stopped earning the big bucks from his endorsement deal. As one of the richest players of all time, he’s now enjoying his retirement with his wife and children.

Kevin Garnett – $180 million

Imagine being drafted by a professional NBA team right out of high school. Sounds like a dream come true? Well, it’s exactly what happened to Kevin Garnett, when Minnesota Timberwolves called his name as the 5th general pick of the 1995 draft.

Garnett, the first player ever to be drafted out of high school, for such a position, has also become one of the wealthiest players in NBA history.


Garnette has made notable accomplishments both on and off the court, which include MVP honors, an Olympic gold medal, a Championship ring, and a long list of other achievements. During the 1997 season, he signed a $126 million contract for six years. In addition, he makes $10 million a year in endorsements for various companies that want him as the face of their product. Well played, Garnett!

Hakeem Olajuwon – $200 million

Despite the fact that he’s been retired for 12 years now, Hakeem Olajuwon is still one of the wealthiest men ever to play basketball for the NBA. When he played college basketball for the University of Houston, he helped his team make it to the NCAA Final Four in March Madness three years in a row during the early 1980’s.

Standing tall at a whopping 6 feet 9 inches at the young age of 15, Olajuwon was destined to play basketball.

Originally hailing from Nigeria, Olajuwon made career in America, playing for the Houston Rockets. He has scored several high-profile endorsement deals that bring in millions each year thanks to the fact that he’s considered one of the best centers in history.

A Glimpse Of Olajuwon’s Life

Jim West Mansion Bought By Hakeem Olajuwon

LeBron James – $250 million

LeBron James, aka “The King” and “The Face of The NBA”,  is the most famous basketball player in the world. He is still quite early in his career by NBA standards, having only played since 2003, but already has amassed great wealth.

He was the first round draft pick for the Cleveland Cavaliers and is the youngest player in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year.

LeBron has earned bronze and gold medals in the the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and also has two Championships under his belt (Miami Heat). James also won multiple MVP awards and is already considered a top 5 player in history. Thanks to all these early-stage achievements, he has a number of endorsements that earn him approximately $53 million per year.

A Glimpse Of James’ Life

LeBron James and His Wife Savannah

LeBron’s Amazing House

LeBron James Playing The Violin

Kobe Bryant – $260 million

Kobe Bryant was born to play basketball – the proof is in his lineage! He comes from a family of basketball players, including his father, who played for the Philadelphia 76ers for several years.

His parents named him “Kobe” after the famous beef that hails from Japan, which adds to the intrigue of this NBA superstar and his family.

Bryant was a good student in school and therefore had many options to pursue for is higher education, but instead he chose to go pro right away. He is best known for being one of the best Los Angeles Lakers player ever.  At 35, he’s slowing down a bit but is still one of the highest paid players in the game.  Plus he’s a scoring machine and nicknamed “The Black Mamba!”

A Glimpse Of Bryant’s Life

Kobe Bryant’s Mansion

Kobe Bryant and His Wife Vanessa Laine

Kobe Bryant’s Ferrari 458 Spider

Shaquille O’Neal – $350 million

He’s got the name “Shaq Attack” for good reason: Shaq is one of the most famous NBA players and earners of all time. Even though he retired several years ago, he still brings home tens of millions of dollars a year in endorsements, including sports brands and vehicles.

He has made appearances in commercials and even starred in a movie called Kazaam, in which he played the magically genie friend of a young boy.

Today, you can catch Shaq as a commentator on sports networks, and he’s a frequent visitor to many talk shows and news programs to share his expertise on basketball. During his time as a pro player, he earned almost $300 million for being one of the most dominant centers of all time and winning multiple championships and an MVP awards. Today, he still rakes in the dough thanks to endorsement deals.

A Glimpse Of Oneal’s Life

Shaquille O’Neal and His X-Wife Shaunie

Shaquille O’Neal’s Windermere Estate

Shaq’s Rolls Royce Phantom

Magic Johnson – $500 million

With a net worth of half a billion dollars, Magic Johnson is one of the wealthiest players ever to play for the NBA and certainly one of the biggest, most celebrated names. Where did the “Magic” come from? He earned his famous nickname after a stellar season at the tender age of 15 when he played ball in high school.

He also turned down some of the biggest colleges in the country to play ball close to home at Michigan State University.

Magic Johnson is also known for playing in one of the biggest basketball rivalries of all time against Larry Bird and the Indiana State University basketball team in the 1979 NCAA finals. To date, it was the most watched basketball game on television. He then went on to win multiple championships with the Lakers, MVP awards, and will go down as one of the best point guards to ever play the game. In his personal life, Johnson also campaigned for HIV/AIDS awareness and started his own foundation after he was diagnosed as HIV-positive.

A Glimpse Of Johnson’s Life

Magic Johnson’s Family

Magic Johnson’s Mansion

Magic Johnson Receives Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degrees

Michael Jordan – $1 billion

Is it any surprise that Michael Jordan tops the list? With a net worth of $1 billion, Jordan is the wealthiest NBA player of all time. He is also probably the most famous and regarded as the best player the NBA has ever seen.

Although he has been retired for more than a decade now, he still brings in a fortune with endorsements that earn him approximately $100 million per year.

Air Jordan In Action

What’s his secret? He’s a savvy businessman. Jordan reached the billion dollar mark in 2014 after increasing his ownership in the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) to almost 90 percent. Will he be as successful as an team owner as he was a player? Only time will tell, but based on all of his career successes, his chances are good!

A Glimpse Of Jordan’s Life

Grand Entrance – Michael Jordan’s House

Michael Joran and His Second Wife Yvette Prieto

Michael Jordan’s Championship Rings

Mourinho: Same old Arsenal, always moaning

Jose Mourinho insists Arsenal have no room for complaint after they were reduced to nine men in a toxic 2-0 derby defeat against Chelsea.

Diego Costa's antics provoked Gabriel into losing his temper, and the Brazil international centre-half was sent off shortly before half-time while Santi Cazorla was dismissed late on for a second bookable offence.

Mourinho said: "Where is the controversy? For me, no controversy. The game is about many different aspects, technical, tactical, emotional, physical. Normally the best team wins - we were the best team.

"We were dominant; we were controlled. Obviously let's not be hypocritical and deny but playing with one man more is easier.

"I think I played against Arsenal 15/16 times and only once they didn't moan. Maybe it was because they won that game. All the other matches, they have reasons for that.

"I played my first derby in September 2000 - to win a derby, emotional control. I've played derbies in Spain, Portugal, England, Italy and I always say the same words. You always need emotional control."

Mourinho, who avoided losing three consecutive league games for the first time in his career with a victory against the Gunners, sees his Chelsea side move just three points off Arsenal, who sit in fourth place.

Mikel Obi secretly fathers two children from different women

PREMIER League star John Obi Mikel has fathered two secret love children with different women, reportsThe Sun on Sunday.

The Chelsea midfielder, 28, has a four-year-old son who was born after he had a brief fling with the lad's mum.

He also has a one-year-old daughter by a woman he met in a nightclub two years ago.

BABY No1

Sex: Male

Age: 4

Mother: Woman Mikel invited to a party and had a brief fling with.

Home: £500,000 house in Home Counties he bought for the mother.

Upkeep: He gives the mum several thousand pounds a year and a new car every 3 years.

BABY No2

Sex: Female

Age: 1

Mother: Woman he met in a trendy London nightclub in 2013 and had a short relationship with.

Home: Child lives with mother in South of England. Mum is not well off but drives a new car.

Upkeep:Mikel provides for the child but is said to want no contact with her.

Nigeria international Mikel, whose team were beaten at home by Crystal Palace on Saturday, is now dating Russian businesswoman Olga Diyachenko and has posted online photographs of the pair together.

The footballer - paid about £80,000 a week - is not named on his son's birth certificate, but bought a house in the Home Counties where the boy lives with his mother.

Mikel paid more than £500,000 for the detached property in 2013.

He is said to have expressed a desire to play a part in the boy's life - even though he at first refused to believe he was the dad.

However Mikel is not believed to see his baby daughter, who lives with her 23-year-old mother in the South of England.

Both women are supported financially by the player, but it is not thought they know about each other.

A source revealed Mikel, a role model to legions of fans of Chelsea and Nigeria, did not believe the boy was his when first told by his mum.

The source said: "They met ages ago when John invited her - and a friend, I think - to an after-party after some London celebrity event.

"She got together with John briefly and ended up pregnant.

"She got in touch with John and told him about it, but he initially refused to accept or believe the baby was his. His name was not on the birth certificate.

"After the baby was born there were some negotiations about it. He then agreed to pay her a decent amount of money. She was allocated money to buy a house."

The mum moved to the Home Counties after the property purchase. Our source added: "John also agreed to give her tens of thousands a year in upkeep and, I think, agreed to give her a new car every three to five years.

"He said he wanted to play a role in the boy's life.

He and the mum are on friendly terms and she doesn't harbour any bad feelings towards him, perhaps because he's looked after her so well.

"When you think about it, it is not that surprising John has not moved away from Chelsea.

"I have read things about him going, possibly abroad, but the people saying that might happen would not know that he has a son and a daughter in the UK."

When his son was two, Mikel had a short relationship with the mother of his daughter after apparently meeting her at a nightclub in London during 2013.

The girl was born last year, but again Mikel's name did not appear on her birth certificate.

A friend of the tot's mother said: "John has provided for her and the girl, but does not seem to want to be involved with the child.

"She is not from a well-off family and does not now earn much, but she drives around in a new car.

"She seems to have come into money since having the baby and is keeping a low profile."

Mikel, a huge name in his native Nigeria, has spoken previously about his love life and about how difficult it is to find a wife and the importance of his family at home.

Recent photos show him with Olga in his car, while there are also pictures of his two rottweiler dogs Troy and Diva. He is also seen relaxing in his swimming pool and sitting at a kitchen table.

Talking to journalists in Nigeria last October, he said: "I've been dating seriously for two years now, I'm in love. I've found love."

However he has denied being engaged to Olga and vowed to reveal if he popped the question.

Mikel, who has a lavish home in Oxshott, Surrey, said: "She is my girlfriend but I have not proposed to her. If that happens it will not be hidden and everyone will know."

Talking of how jealous women had attacked Olga on social media, he added: "I'm begging Nigerian girls to please leave her alone."

The star, left on the bench by Chelsea boss José Mourinho for yesterday's defeat, has played more than 300 times for the Blues since joining the champions in 2006.

In an interview for Chelsea TV, he spoke about the importance of family. Mikel, whose father Michael was kidnapped then freed in August 2011, said: "Never forget where you're from. I spend lots of time with my family.

"Every time I go back I spend lots of time with them (friends) and spend lots of time with my family."

Talking about growing up, he added: "When you start growing up you start to think what's really important to me and my family."

He added about his father's ordeal: "My dad being kidnapped was terrible, that was the hardest. My mum was on the phone crying, my brother was crying - I had to be the strong one."

In an interview last month the player said he wanted to stay at Chelsea because the club felt "like my family".

A spokesman for the footballer said of the lovechildren: "This is an entirely private matter. John provides for and cares for his children and will continue to do so. He asks that their privacy be respected."

Culled from www.thesun.co.uk