ADIDAS PRESENTS BACKYARD LEGENDS WITH ICONS FROM FOOTBALL, MUSIC, AND FILM COMING TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2026™
adidas debuts Backyard Legends, a new film for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ that turns neighborhood lore into a larger-than-life story, reminding athletes everywhere: You Got This.
Who is part of the film’s iconic cast?
Led by Academy Award-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet, the film brings together an iconic cast including Lionel Messi, Bad Bunny, Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham and Trinity Rodman. Through Chalamet’s eyes, audiences are introduced to a local crew who encapsulate the freedom of playing football and have ruled their pitch for decades.
Chalamet sets out to assemble a team capable of taking on Clive, Ruthie and Isaak – the local crew whose “win or go home” streak has survived generations of challengers. Their legend? So strong it has even seen off 90s icons like Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Alessandro Del Piero.
“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.” says Timothée Chalamet.
Cameos from Balon D’or winner Ousmane Dembélé, Raphinha, Pedri, Florian Wirtz and Santiago Gimenez amplify the story, each adding to the lore around the unbeatable trio.
How does You Got This bring together past, present and future in Backyard Legends?
Set against a nostalgic soundtrack, 90s street and terrace style, analogue tech and era-defining hairstyles, the film blends cutting edge CGI and visual effects to bring to life a simple truth: the backyard is where pressure disappears and legends begin. Because whether it’s a cage pitch, a parking lot, a patch of grass or the World Cup stage, the game belongs to those who play free.
Florian Alt, Vice President Global Brand Communications at adidas 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, we hear that directly from them. While we encourage competitiveness, our ambition is to inspire everyone, to disarm that pressure through playing free and believing, ‘You Got This’. This is important for professional and grassroots players alike; in every sport, in every part of the world. The game isn’t defined by the stage, the crowd, or the cameras. It’s defined by those who play free, where everyone can create a legend.”
Lionel Messi, adidas athlete, said: “My game was born in the backyard in my hometown Rosario. No pressure. Just freedom, joy, and constant experimentation.
I wish every young kid playing the game could find that same environment, one that lets them enjoy football for what it is. Over the years, my pitch would change: the stadiums grew bigger, the pressure increased, but my approach to the game never did.”
How is adidas showing up at the World Cup?
Ahead of a huge summer of sport, adidas will be an unmissable part of world football’s pinnacle stage.
As Official Match Ball provider and kit supplier to 14 federations competing at FIFA World Cup 2026™, adidas is gearing up for an unforgettable tournament, showing up on the world’s biggest pitches and every backyard in between.
To watch the Backyard Legends film, visit adidas’ YouTube channel
