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Lionel Messi showed his support for soccer‘s future in a brand-new Adidas campaign. The award-winning athlete was one of numerous stars tapped for the athletic brand’s FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign, which launched online today.
“There is no denying that whilst all World Cups are special, this summer’s tournament feels like one that is really bringing us to a tipping point for the women’s game,” said Sina Neubrandt, Adidas’ global communications director, on the Cup campaign in a statement.
“We are seeing record ticket sales, bigger broadcast audiences, more committed fandoms, and more emerging icons than ever before. It is precisely this essence that we’ve looked to capture in our new campaign. Through showcasing some of the greatest stars in the game, we hope we can inspire the next generation to also pursue their dream and see these individuals as role models who can help push them to new possibilities!”
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The campaign features other Adidas-clad athletes and ambassadors — including David Beckham, Jenna Ortega, Leon Goretzka, Ian Wright and Raphaella Wright-Phillips. You can currently see the full video on the brand’s YouTube channel, as well.
Within his segment of the campaign — where he sharply kicks a soccer ball in the woods — Messi could be seen in a striped blue soccer uniform, paired with Adidas’ Samba OG sneakers. The $100 men’s style featured low-top white and black leather uppers, complete with branded tongues, white laces and the brand’s signature triple stripes atop brown gum rubber outsoles.
While smoothly completing Messi’s attire in the campaign, the retro pair also emphasized its original 1940s training roots to connect to the sport of soccer — as well as the style’s recent rise in popularity in the 2020s, creating a full-circle moment from the past to present.
The campaign particularly emphasizes three young female soccer stars who will be participating in the Cup: Lena Oberdorf, Mary Fowler and Alessia Russo. The trio takes center stage as they kick and bounce the soccer ball throughout Adidas’ video, made to inspire higher interest in soccer globally — particularly among young women and girls.
Adidas’ video for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, however, is only part of its larger initiative this summer. The brand is emphasizing its support for female athletes — and the Cup, which it’s been a partner of since 1995 — by launching its largest women’s kit bag for its Cup federations, which includes FlowShield-infused pieces and 1-on-1 bra fittings. The label will also continue to donate 1% of its World Cup ball proceeds — which includes “Oceanuz,” this year’s official Women’s World Cup Ball — to Common Goal, a charity that aims to grow and support women’s sports.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup is an annual international soccer tournament, featuring female soccer teams competing for prize money up to $4.29 million, according to USA Today. Top athletes in this year’s competition will include Pernille Harder (Denmark), Lucy Bronze (England) and Sophia Smith (United States of America), among others.
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