Hyundai Motor said Tuesday that it has signed a sponsorship agreement with France’s soccer club Olympique Lyonnais for the next two years.

The team, commonly known as Lyon, plays in France’s highest football division, Ligue 1, winning the league championships seven consecutive times since the 2001-2002 season.

With the new partnership, Hyundai said, it aims to raise its brand awareness in Europe. Between 2007 and 2011, an estimated 240 million fans across Europe watched Lyon.

Korea’s largest carmaker plans to show its brand logo on the team’s uniforms, advertisement boards within the stadium, and the players’ seats and bus as well as displaying vehicles at the club’s home field Stade Gerland.

“Lyon is a dynamic soccer club that will share Hyundai’s vision. It’s a great pleasure to sponsor the prestigious team that won the French league championship seven times,” said a Hyundai executive.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)