adidas launches Backyard Legends ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026

adidas has unveiled Backyard Legends, a five-minute film built around its You Got This brand platform as the company accelerates marketing momentum into FIFA World Cup 2026.The campaign blends football, music and film talent in a single narrative designed to celebrate informal play while linking everyday pitches to the sport’s biggest stage.Timothée Chalamet, who leads the film, said: “I used to dream of playing with these guys - you know, I was playing at Pier 40 as a kid, thinking about Beckham’s free kicks, Del Piero’s goals, and Zidane’s volleys – doing my own versions.“I love this game, so it’s unbelievable to be doing this with adidas, captured with the best to ever do it. I’m a traditionalist, I don’t know soccer, I know football, and I can’t wait for this summer’s World Cup.”The cast also features Lionel Messi, Bad Bunny, Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham and Trinity Rodman, with adidas positioning the group as a bridge between current stars, emerging talent and legacy icons.Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Alessandro Del Piero appear as 1990s-era figures in the story, which uses nostalgia, streetwear references and visual effects to build a stylised version of local football folklore.adidas said the film’s creative direction leans on 1990s street and terrace aesthetics, analogue technology and a nostalgic soundtrack, supported by CGI to heighten the “neighbourhood legend” premise.Florian Alt, adidas vice president global brand communications, said: “Everyone remembers that feeling: playing for the joy of it, no pressure, no expectations. With Backyard Legends, we celebrate that freedom.“It’s a reminder that self-belief and playfulness are the real winning mindset. As our athletes and federations take to the biggest sporting stage this summer, we know that pressure is part of sport.”The release sits within adidas’ wider World Cup commercial plan, with the brand highlighting its role as Official Match Ball provider and kit supplier to 14 federations at FIFA World Cup 2026.The campaign approach signals a push to broaden cultural reach beyond core football audiences, using cross-category celebrity and short-film storytelling to drive brand recall and social sharing ahead of the tournament.