adidas World Cup 2026 ad: Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal & Florian Wirtz adopt absurd new training methods in preparation for tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico

The story kicks off in Manhattan, where Trinity Rodman takes centre stage at a bustling newsstand. Each front page reports on the world’s top footballers breaking training traditions ahead of next summer’s showpiece. Then comes Florian Wirtz, the German prodigy, who enters a training ground on the orders of Julian Nagelsmann. He aims to toughen up for the World Cup by taking on Canadian ice hockey players and Mexican luchadores. 

Next, the film cuts south to a dusty Western saloon in the American heartland. Here enters Lamine Yamal, Spain’s teenage wonderkid, who shows immense composure as he juggles a ball atop a mechanical bull. His effortless control draws a proud nod from Aitana Bonmatí, who is Spain’s midfield maestro. 

Then, the scene changes again, from cowboy boots to bowling shoes. In a neon-lit bowling alley, Lionel Messi steps up in a new Argentina kit, calm as ever, as Rodrigo De Paul looks on. The Argentine genius rolls strike after strike with an adidas football. His precision on the bowling lanes mirrors the perfection he’ll aim for on the pitch next summer.

As the official supplier of the tournament’s match ball, TRIONDA, and the creator of jerseys for over 22 national teams, adidas celebrates a partnership with the World Cup stretching back more than 50 years. Beyond the viral film, adidas has already revealed its largest-ever World Cup home kit collection. Argentina’s traditional sky-blue stripes shimmer with heritage, while Germany’s new kit embraces a bold diamond-and-chevron design inspired by the patterns of their 1994 and 2014 World Cup-winning shirt. It will be their final adidas World Cup kit before their long-standing partnership ends in 2027, when they switch to Nike after a staggering 70-year relationship with the brand. 

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With the 2026 World Cup set to stretch across the USA, Canada, and Mexico, adidas has engineered each shirt for the continent’s extreme climates. Using next-generation CLIMACOOL+ technology, the kits feature body-mapped ventilation zones that regulate heat and moisture as they aim to keep players cool. Beyond Europe, bold new kits have been launched for Algeria, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the UAE, and Venezuela. 

Sam Handy, GM of Adidas Football, said: "The national kit is the symbol of a nation’s togetherness and pride. As teams step onto the world stage at the biggest World Cup we have ever seen, they carry the hopes of a whole new generation of fans, while representing those who have come before them. A World Cup is about creating moments that transcend the stadium, so we’ve engineered the designs as an honour to each nation’s roots but also to celebrate an era where every fan, everywhere, is part of the story."

Messi’s Argentina have already booked their tickets to North America. Their jersey remains a masterpiece of simplicity with sky blue and white stripes dominating the threads. The year 1896 is inscribed on the collar, honouring the foundation of the Argentine Football Association. The reigning world champions will aim to do what only Brazil managed back in 1958 and 1962, to win back-to-back World Cups. And with Messi expected to still lead the charge, few would bet against them.

Thomas Mace, vice-president of design at Adidas Football, said: "Designing our jersey roster for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been about honouring each nation’s unique identity while pushing the boundaries of innovation and performance. Every jersey tells a story – blending cultural heritage with modern aesthetics – and is built using our most advanced technologies to keep players cool and comfortable on football’s biggest stage. From the bold visual details to the shapeshifting lenticular logo and innovative ventilation features, this collection represents the future of football jersey design."