Adidas launched one of the most ambitious advertising campaigns in football history this Thursday: a five-minute short film titled "Backyard Legends | The Greatest Football Story Ever Told," featuring Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal, Bad Bunny, Jude Bellingham, Trinity Rodman, and actor Timothée Chalamet in a single story to celebrate the arrival of the 2026 World Cup.
The spot, published on the official channel of the German brand on YouTube under the hashtags #YouGotThis and #WorldCup26, combines 90s urban aesthetics, AI-generated visual effects, and a cinematic script that opts for the short film format instead of the traditional thirty-second advertisement.
The narrative concept revolves around a fictional trio of street players—Clive, Ruthie, and Isaak—who, according to the story, have remained undefeated since 1996 on a concrete court nestled between buildings. The opening line humorously sums it up: "Based on a true story. Probably."
Chalamet plays the passionate recruiter who brings the stars together to challenge the trio under the street rules: "win or go home, no referee." One of the most talked-about moments in the announcement comes in the first few seconds, when the actor corrects Bad Bunny with a line that is already circulating on social media: "What do I know about soccer? Nothing. I know about football, Benito, football."
The announcement includes a flashback recreated with CGI in which Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, and Alessandro Del Piero —digitally rejuvenated to their appearance from the early 2000s— attempt to defeat the street trio in 2002 and fail. The scene where one of the local boys performs a roulette on Zidane himself is described in the narrative as the moment that "killed" the narrator.
Messi and Bad Bunny appear at the end of the short film as supervisors of the team recruited by Chalamet, with the Argentine representing the highest leadership in world football. Also making secondary appearances are Ousmane Dembélé, Raphinha, Pedri, Florian Wirtz, and Santiago Giménez.
The inclusion of Trinity Rodman —forward for the Washington Spirit and Olympic gold medalist with the United States women's national team in Paris 2024— strengthens the gender dimension and the connection with the host market of the tournament.
It's not the first time that Messi and Bad Bunny have collaborated on an Adidas campaign. In October 2024, they starred in a footwear collection that merged the F50 boot with the Adidas Gazelle, but "Backyard Legends" marks the first time they appear in a campaign associated with a sporting event of this magnitude.
Adidas will be the official ball supplier for the 2026 World Cup and will provide kits to 14 of the 48 participating teams, including Argentina, Spain, Mexico, and Germany. The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Florian Alt, Vice President of Global Brand Communication at Adidas, explained the philosophy behind the project: “Everyone remembers that feeling: playing purely for enjoyment, without pressure or expectations. With Backyard Legends, we celebrate that freedom. It is a reminder that self-confidence and spontaneity are the true winning mindset.”
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