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.
This can happen only in India.#MessiBeedi@GabbbarSingh @TrollFootball @FootballFunnnys pic.twitter.com/oepYg80yoX
— Sachin Banthia 🇮🇳 (@banthiasachin) July 12, 2021
Weirdest thing i’ve come across today – #Messi Beedi. After John terry on Cig packets. only in India#Indianfootball pic.twitter.com/0JNeNQy1fY
— The Daily Goonerunny (@tushizap) August 17, 2015
Messi beedi is the new normal#Messibeedi pic.twitter.com/QiLK0ZgwYp
— The_introvert_one (@shrivasDEVESH) July 14, 2021
Messi’s first endorsement in India
— Rupin Sharma IPS (@rupin1992) July 13, 2021
☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️ pic.twitter.com/07vh7bTMwC
Messi is everywhere in India 😅🤣 https://t.co/wwTOyCJByg
— Amit (@SUPERLM10_1) July 14, 2021
ମେଶି 👇😂🤦♂️ https://t.co/YE5P0BOuVS pic.twitter.com/Pxt119IfpS
— ସମ୍ବିତ୍/Sambit 🇮🇳 (@SKDAgriMan) July 14, 2021
https://t.co/0Y62zOySPG pic.twitter.com/M8GStmCMXO
— ꪖρꪮꪮ᥅ꪜꪖ (@theAprv) July 14, 2021
COPA AMERICA FINAL#ArgentinaVsBrazil
— @Akashtv1Soni (@Akashtv1Soni) July 13, 2021
1-0
After his first major Cup win for Argentina, Lionel #Messi finally gets his first endorsement contract in India..#MessiBiri pic.twitter.com/dMR36mmUM1
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.