The new World Cup-themed commercial from Nike is one of the best advertisements of all time. Heck, I’m just barely holding myself back from calling it one of the best soccer movies of all time. Featuring a cross-cultural cast stacked with some of the best players in the world, the ad cuts from on-the-field action to viewers watching around the world. It also features a few kitchen-sink cameos by non-soccer celebrities, because why not? Quick, watch it after the jump before I spoil anything…
Auteur alert! The ad was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. Even with all the corporate-logo trappings, the ad feels right in line with the director’s big-screen work. (Actually, the ad’s basically just a remake of Babel, with Cristiano Ronaldo instead of Brad Pitt and soccer instead of unbearable sadness.)
What do you think of the ad, PopWatchers? Do you laugh as much as I do at the sequence showing how Brit striker Wayne Rooney’s bad pass instigates an economic recession and riots in the streets? Are you as confused as I am by half of the cultural references in the clip? More to the point: does this ad challenge Michael Mann’s “Leave Nothing” Nike commercial? I’d say no, but only because I’m a sucker for the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack.
Read more:
England’s World Cup blunder: Which obvious sports mistakes would make great movie scenes?
2010 FIFA World Cup begins tomorrow: Are you ready?
This commercial has been out for several weeks now.
Man you guys are OLD!!!!!
This has been out for a MONTH!!
Next up on EW.com: Those new GEICO cavemen are hilarious!
Wow that was the most amazing thing i’ve seen all week.
Seriously? I saw this about a month ago! Keep up EW, your meant to be up to date news! geez!!
Oh…my…God…that is such a kicka** commercial. Love it!
I dug it. But the real difference between it and “Leave Nothing” (and why I prefer the latter) is that the football in “Leave Nothing” actually looks like real football, while the action in footie/soccer… well, let’s just say that if the game regularly featured plays like those, I’d watch more often (read: ever).
Best commerical ever? Not so much. I guess for me, it’s just too “Babel”-esque.
“behind the times” called. your bill is due. this commercial has been out for weeks.
Yup anyone who knows anything about football would know this had been out for weeks. Then again it’s an American writer so…. Anyway definitely one of the best commercial’s ever. Amazing ad for the best sport and most popular sport in the world.
ha, so true. whats next, a pop blog on Zidane’s headbutt incident?
Yes, Darren is just an American. It’s not as if millions of us don’t have an interest in football/soccer. There’s a reason we have the term “soccer mom”. And there’s a reason more American’s have been showing up to play in the European leagues every year. You’re being nearly as ignorant as the fellow named “d” below this post. Not as ignorant, but close.
meh, soccer, no one cares or notices, the commercial is ok, but i refuse to think that anyone cares about soccer. sorry. it’s just soooooo boring.
Football (“soccer”) is the most popular sport in the world. Just not in America.
Actually, I should have said, “Just not in the U.S.”
Obviously you don’t care but FYI, soccer or football as is known in the rest of the world, is the most popular sport in the world. In fact according to a report, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football so I assume that at least those 240 million people care and notice soccer which is a lot more than your assumption of no one cares.
d, people like you are why I feel ashamed to tell foreigners I’m an American.
I can understand where D is coming from. As kids growing up in the US, we were exposed to baseball, basketball, and football–arguably the three most popular sports–in our backyard and on TV. We’d see the best athletes compete in these sports and could connect with them. Unfortunately, since our best athletes flocked to these sports none were there for soccer. We didn’t have the Michael Jordan, or Ken Griffey Jr., or a Joe Montana of soccer. But in other countries, their best athletes are cultivated to become elite football/soccer players. If you want to appreciate soccer, I suggest you start by watching the UEFA Champions League. This would be the equivalent to having a NBA playoffs but with all-star teams. It’s played at a faster pace and far from being “soooooo boring”. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
As a follow-up, I personally think that the World Cup is great in that each team is fighting for their respective country just like the Olympics. But imagine taking the best talent from each of those countries, making a dream team then placing them in a tournament. Look up the rosters of Barcelona, Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Bayer Munich and you’ll recognize the familiar world-class footballers mixed together. This is why the Champions League is a pleasure to watch and why many of our best home-grown soccer players head over to compete on European teams. So before you lambast on soccer, make sure you watch a few games when it’s played on the highest level. I have grown to appreciate soccer, but yet I still love my NFL, NBA, and MLB. Having said all that, go Team USA!
Darren Franich: A Day (well, in this case *a* month) Late and a Dollar Short. Tsk,tsk,tsk.
Surprised not to see a wink from ronaldo when he fell over. Also trust me, if rooney screws up there will be rioting on the streets. Also the world cup is the most widely viewed sporting event in the world. Football is the most popular sport in the world. I’m guessing quite a few people care
Okay, I don’t follow soccer and have no idea who any of these people are. On the other hand, I particularly enjoyed the use of the song “Hocus Pocus” by Focus.
I think the David Fincher directed Nike “Leave Nothing” commercial with Troy Polamolu and LT is better.
I loooveee, loveee this advertisement! Yes, its been out for a while but I definitely think its the best sport ad in a while! I love the bit where Rooney is playing table tennis with Federer! I am from London (and a huge England supporter), so the whole Rooney bit was amazing!!! I had never seen the other ad being contested as the best, but I think this one far surpassed it!
Well, I still enjoyed all the Wayne Rooney stuff – hugging the Queen, stepping out of the trailer…