David Beckham Signs Deal as Brand Ambassador for Alibaba Ahead of Euro 2024

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has secured former England captain David Beckham as its brand ambassador to spearhead its UEFA Euro 2024 marketing campaign.

Beckham will serve as a global brand ambassador for Alibaba’s low-cost marketplace, AliExpress. This partnership, which Alibaba described as its largest endorsement to date, was announced on Monday as part of the company’s promotional activities for Euro 2024. Alibaba is also a sponsor of the tournament, which begins next month.

As part of the “Score More with AliExpress” campaign, Beckham will promote special deals to celebrate the tournament. The financial terms of Beckham’s deal with Alibaba, a company notable for the rise and subsequent fall of its founder Jack Ma following conflicts with the Chinese Communist Party, were not disclosed.

“AliExpress is helping fans get even closer to UEFA Euro 2024 this summer, by offering them great prizes as the action takes place on the pitch,” Beckham said.

AliExpress joins other major Chinese companies, such as electric vehicle maker BYD and electronics giant Vivo, in sponsoring the Euros.

Alibaba, though slower to expand internationally, has recently reported strong earnings. According to Euronews, the company’s international division (AIDC) saw a 45 percent year-on-year revenue increase in the January to March quarter this year.

“The strong performance was driven by growth of AIDC’s cross-border businesses, in particular growth contributed by the Choice business on AliExpress,” Alibaba stated in its earnings report.

This endorsement deal comes amid a formal investigation launched by the European Commission in March against AliExpress. The investigation concerns the dissemination of illegal and harmful goods, including counterfeit medicines and non-compliant products.

A spokesperson for AliExpress stated that the company has “been working with, and will continue to work with, the relevant authorities on making sure we comply with applicable standards and will continue to ensure that we will be able to meet the requirements of the DSA.”

“AliExpress is committed to creating a safe and compliant marketplace for all consumers,” the spokesperson added.