Khaberni - Argentine star Lionel Messi has filed a lawsuit in a New York court against several Chinese sellers, accusing them of marketing counterfeit products bearing his name and logo without any official license.
The Argentine newspaper Clarín reported that this move came through his company "LMGM" in an attempt to stop the spread of counterfeit goods infiltrating digital markets.
The newspaper explained: "In a new legal step to protect his commercial rights, the lawsuit targets sellers who are active on global e-commerce platforms such as Walmart, Tmall, and Shein."
It added: "The move seeks to stop the proliferation of counterfeit goods that exploit the player's global popularity, in addition to protecting his trademark, which has been officially registered in the United States since 2016."
It continued: "The lawsuit asserts that these counterfeit products not only harm the financial returns but also impact the reputation and quality of the brand in international markets."
It went on: "Estimates indicate that Messi's trademark generates annual revenues of approximately $70 million from endorsement deals alone, amid major partnerships with global companies such as Adidas, Apple, and Pepsi, reflecting the huge marketing value of the Argentine star off the field."
It indicated that in the same context, the revenues of Messi's holding company exceed 100 million euros annually, making the protection of intellectual property rights a strategic priority to maintain the sustainability of this growth.
This step comes as part of an increasing wave of global stars taking action to counter the phenomenon of electronic counterfeiting, which has become a significant challenge amid the rapid expansion of digital commerce around the world.
