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    Making history: Rohit Sharma named La Liga's brand ambassador in India, becomes first non-footballer to endorse league

    Synopsis

    The La Liga India boss said that there is room for cricket and football to co-exist in India.

    Jose-Antonio-Cachaza-&-Rohi
    Jose Antonio Cachaza, Managing Director, LaLiga India with Rohit Sharma (r). (Image: Nishikant Gamre)
    La Liga, the top tier of Spanish club football, announced cricketer Rohit Sharma as its brand ambassador in India. He becomes the first non-footballer in the league’s 90-year-old history to endorse the brand. “I have been a Real Madrid fan since my school days, and was over the moon when I came to know of this opportunity,” Sharma said.

    Rohit Sharma came on board after being sounded out by Jose Antonio Cachaza, Managing Director, La Liga India last year. LaLiga has been actively taking initiatives to promote the football, including group screenings, and friendly games.

    “India is a very important market for La Liga from a global perspective. We came here in 2017 to get a better understanding of the pulse of the nation. Over the past two years, and after several ground-breaking initiatives, it is obvious that India has a huge appetite for football,” Cachaza said. La Liga has made concerted efforts to catch up with the Premier League in the Indian market since it formally entered the country in 2017. Cachaza reiterated that Asia remains a key growth area for the league, outside of its primary overseas markets in South America and North Africa.

    The La Liga India boss said that the increasing popularity of the Indian Super League (ISL) bodes well for football in India as it provides a platform of youngsters to showcase their talent and rub shoulders with international players. He further added that there is room for cricket and football to coexist in India, and that the collaboration with one of India’s foremost cricketers is an attempt to get more sports fans interested in La Liga.

    “Football is catching up in India and it is heartening to see that the country is no longer considered a sleeping giant. The past five years have been tremendous for football’s growth trajectory in India,” Sharma said. As a part of the partnership, the Sharma’s social media handles will share LaLiga content, including streams of live matches, and interviews with players.

    “Rohit Sharma is the perfect example of how football resonates with Indian fans. In spite of being the most remowned face in Indian cricket right now, he is also an ardent footballer and La Liga fan. His persona, on and off the field, embodies La Liga’s standards and principles,” Cachaza said.

    The top tier of Spanish club football has been ramping up its fan base in India through a series of initiatives including a grassroots development programme La Liga Football Schools and a digital broadcast deal with Facebook.

    The Spanish team Girona FC became the first European club to come to India on a preseason tour in 2018. It is partially owned by the City Football Group, which recently acquired ISL team Mumbai City FC. Rohit Sharma will join teammates Virat Kohli and M.S. Dhoni, both of whom are associated with football. The former owns a stake in FC Goa while the latter is a co-owner of Chennaiyin FC.

    “I am truly delighted to be associated with La Liga. It is encouraging to see the Spanish giant make inroads into the India football ecosystem,” Sharma said.


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