Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal (R) and Trinity Rodman (in yellow) of the United States Women’s National Team star in a film released by Adidas ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Photo by Adidas
Bad Bunny and a cast of soccer sensations, including Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, appear in a new pre-World Cup short film, released Thursday by Adidas.
Actor Timothee Chalamet is the star of the five-minute film, which also features Jude Bellingham, Trinity Rodman, David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane.
“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,” Chalamet said in a news release.
“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.”
Backyard Legends starts with Chalamet speaking to Bad Bunny on a cellphone about forming a 3-on-3 soccer team. He then leaves a bodega to meet Rodman and Bellingham inside a car. Yamal eventually joins the trio, forming Chalamet’s 3-on-3 team.
Chalamet explains the rules to the 3-on-3 game, which doesn’t include referees. He tells the soccer stars they will challenge a local threesome that hasn’t lost since 1996.
He also relates a story about the group of three children who beat challengers throughout the years, including a team consisting of Beckham, Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero in 2002. Footage from that game shows younger, computer-generated imagery of the soccer icons.
The footage flashes forward to include cameos of star players Ousmane Dembele, Raphinha, Pedri, Florian Wirtz and Santiago Gomez before Chalamet’s crew reaches the concrete field.
Chalamet looks up to Bad Bunny in the crowd and asks for an assessment of his team. The singer looks to his right and asks Messi, who is sitting on top of a car with him, what he thinks of the squad.
“Pretty good,” Messi says in Spanish.
The film ends before the start of the match. Adidas is the official match ball provider of the World Cup and kit supplier of 14 federations. The 48-team tournament will be held June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
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Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates with the FIFA World Cup trophy after Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup Final win — its third tournament trophy — at Lusail Stadium in Lusail City, Qatar, on December 18, 2022. Photo by Chris Brunskill/UPI | License Photo
