Overview
- Adidas released the five-minute film Backyard Legends on Thursday to launch its 2026 World Cup campaign.
- Timothée Chalamet recruits rising stars to challenge an undefeated street trio named Isaak, Ruthie and Clive, with Lionel Messi and Bad Bunny revealed as the forces backing the plan.
- The cast includes Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham and Trinity Rodman, with brief appearances by Ousmane Dembélé, Raphinha, Pedri, Florian Wirtz and Santiago Giménez.
- Coverage highlights Adidas’ use of AI to depict younger versions of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Alessandro Del Piero, a creative choice that drew scrutiny over synthetic likenesses.
- The release followed cryptic jersey teasers earlier in the week that fueled online speculation and helped the film draw millions of views within hours.