How Adidas Won The World Cup Before It Even Began

The World Cup only comes around every four years, and it honestly feels like Adidas has been waiting for this moment ever since the 2022 World Cup ended and their work reflects that.

This has felt like Adidas had been waiting for this moment to make a statement and cement themselves as the giants in the soccer world again but the real question is how did they do it?

2026 Jersey Releases

Adidas recently released their 2026 jersey collection with a focus beyond just performance. With the return of the famous Trefoil logo and designs inspired by classic football looks and cultural meaning for each country, these jerseys represent more than just what happens on the field they reflect the culture around the game, from the streets to the fans. It’s a beautiful way of connecting football to everyday lifestyle and a new generation.

Passing of the torch

One of the easiest moves that they made was having former players and legends of the game represent their countries' new kits all over social media because nostalgia sells. You had legends like Xavi Hernandez, Paul Pogba, Kaka, Zidane, and David Beckham in different commercials and social media campaigns like the release of the 2026 Trionda ball that will be used in the World Cup. These are players with a tremendous pedigree who are widely recognized and respected. On top of that you have the greatest soccer player of all time Lionel Messi as the face of your brand but you mix in teenage sensation Lamine Yamal who has started his career at a trajectory to become the greatest ever and is poised to become the face of Adidas when LionelMessi decides to hang them up. Having them in social media ads together was a bridge for success because fans love when the game is evolving and watching a similar story be reborn.

This has truly felt like a passing of the torch moment with Lionel Messi heading into his last World Cup at 38 years old and Lamine Yamal heading into his first at 18 years old, it almost feels like a perfect transition for Adidas.

Nostalgia Sells

Everyone loves a bit of nostalgia right? Adidas seems to agree, which is why they didn’t just focus on new designs but they also leaned into the past.

Adidas re-released various retro kits from different countries for the upcoming World Cup. Most notably a 2006 retro Lionel Messi Argentina jersey from his first World Cup, as a tribute to what could be his last.

These retro jerseys have played a huge part in Adidas’ recent success because for many fans including myself (who has purchased their fair share of jerseys in preparation for the tournament), these jerseys hold memories of the past, not only that but retro jerseys have become culture pieces and a big part of fashion which is something Adidas clearly took advantage of. Mixing soccer with fashion brings two different cultures together and helps create new meanings.

Streetwear Culture

Another massive move that made Adidas stand out was their recent collaborations with BAPE, where they released soccer cleats, a Japan Jersey, a USA Jersey, and Soccer Shorts.This collab went beyond soccer because BAPE is a major name in streetwear so this partnership brought in a completely different audience, people who care about fashion and hype just as much as sports. This way adidas was able to bring over the hype from streetwear and transform that into hype for the World Cup. This brought in a whole new audience that was already on the adidas wave before the tournament has even begun.

Why did this work?

One of the most important reasons that this entire campaign worked was because of how natural it felt. Adidas didn’t force the Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi comparisons, their work spoke for itself and comparisons naturally came. All they had to do was put the pieces together. Adidas also didn’t focus on just one target audience but instead leaned into culture as a whole, something that brought people of all ages and backgrounds together and because of that, they were able to attract attention and generate hype before the tournament even started. Overall, it feels like Adidas has taken the game by storm and are in complete control of the sport and rather than waiting for the tournament to start, they started it themselves.

Bio

Angel Reyes is a senior at California State University, Northridge, majoring in journalism with an emphasis in public relations. He is passionate about sports, fashion, and hip-hop culture, and aspires to pursue a career in the sports or fashion industry.