Adidas x Lola USA
Favorite creative of May 2026
ADIDAS Turns Backyard Football into World Cup Mythology with “Backyard Legends”
With “Backyard Legends”, ADIDAS kicks off its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign by turning a simple neighbourhood match into a larger than life football legend. Created by LOLA USA, directed by Mark Molloy and produced by SMUGGLER, the five minute film follows Timothée Chalamet as he tries to build a dream team capable of defeating an unbeaten local trio, Clive, Ruthie and Isaak.
The campaign brings together an impressive cast from sport, music and cinema, including Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, Trinity Rodman, Bad Bunny, as well as appearances from Ousmane Dembélé, Raphinha, Pedri, Florian Wirtz and Santiago Giménez. It also taps into football nostalgia with younger versions of David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero, reinforcing the bridge between past icons and the next generation of talent.
More than a star powered commercial, “Backyard Legends” positions ADIDAS at the heart of football culture, where passion is born far from stadium lights, on local pitches, streets and backyards. By blending humour, nostalgia, celebrity appeal and street football energy, the campaign reminds marketers that the strongest brand stories are often rooted in emotion, shared memories and cultural identity rather than product alone.
