Icons Unite Icons: Bad Bunny and Lionel Messi Team Up & Celebrate their new adidas Collection

Today, adidas Originals announces a one-of-a-kind partnership between two global superstars, Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, and soccer legend Lionel Messi. The Bad Bunny & Messi Collection celebrates the incredible connection between music and sport, two passions that unite fans across the world, and pays homage to the individual legacies of Bad Bunny and Messi, while cementing adidas’ role in culture.

Bad Bunny has long admired Messi, referencing the soccer superstar in his music, including five mentions in his latest album. Messi, in turn, has expressed his own admiration for the Puerto Rican artist, revealing that seven Bad Bunny tracks are included on his personal pre-game playlist. As two adidas ambassadors, this collaboration reflects a deep mutual respect between the two stars — two titans in their fields — pushing the boundaries of their respective crafts.

The Bad Bunny & Messi Collection draws inspiration from adidas heritage models, materials, and colorways from its rich brand archives. It features two of adidas’ most celebrated silhouettes – the adidas Gazelle and the adidas F50 cleat. The F50 has been worn by Messi throughout his playing career and is widely recognized as one of the best soccer cleats of all time. The Gazelle has evolved from being worn in indoor soccer gyms to a lifestyle footwear icon and one of Bad Bunny’s favorite styles.

Each model in the collection pays tribute to individual trophies honoring Messi’s status as the best male footballer in the world, with gold hues inspired by the prestigious trophy and design elements like the ’X’ stripe heel that reference Messi’s number 10 jersey number. The blue accents connect the designs to adidas’ heritage, blending tradition with excellence. Both the Gazelle and F50 models feature the signatures of Bad Bunny and Messi on their famous stripes, symbolizing their mutual respect and enduring legacy. The shoes also sport the Trefoil and Badge of Sport logos, along with the inscription ‘Bad Bunny Para Messi’ on the tongue. These designs transcend their original athletic purpose, fostering a new community that merges sport, music, fashion, and creative expression.

“This campaign celebrates our fans. Seeing people who follow me and support me does more than just inspire me, it makes me feel very grateful. I always try to give everything I have on the pitch, so it’s great to see that there are people who appreciate that effort and always support me, even in bad times,” said Lionel Messi. On the collaboration with Benito, he commented, “Music is connected to many aspects of my life, and Bad Bunny is an artist who is never missing from my playlist.”

To coincide with the launch, adidas is releasing a campaign that commemorates this groundbreaking partnership by honoring the millions of Bad Bunny and Messi fans who have voiced their devotion through social media, in the stands, and beyond, over the years. At the center of the campaign is a touching letter, crafted from the heartfelt words of fans on Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). This powerful message is brought to life in a short film featuring Messi and Bad Bunny, who read excerpts from the letter which begins with a soulful truth for both stars, “this country wouldn’t be the same,” says Messi, “... if you were born anywhere else,” continues Bad Bunny.

With a focus on creativity and excellence, this collection redefines the interplay between soccer and music, creating a moment that will resonate far beyond the worlds of sport and entertainment.

The Bad Bunny & Messi F50 will be available globally at RRP 300 EU. The Bad Bunny & Messi Gazelle will be available exclusively in North & South America at RRP 180 EUR. Sign-ups for the collection will be available on the CONFIRMED and adidas flagship apps starting October 21^st, and in adidas flagship stores starting October 26^th.

For further information visit adidas.com/badbunny and adidas.com/lionel_messi

adidas.com

@adidasOriginals

About adidas Originals:

Inspired by the rich sporting heritage of adidas – one of the world’s leading sports brands and a global designer and developer of athletic footwear and apparel – adidas Originals is a lifestyle brand founded in 2001. With the adidas archive at its foundation, adidas Originals continues to evolve the brand’s legacy through its commitment to product innovation and its ability to filter the creativity and courage found on courts and sporting arenas through the lens of contemporary youth culture. Marked by the iconic Trefoil logo and championed by those that continue to shape and define creative culture, adidas Originals continues to lead the way as the pioneering sportswear brand for the street.

About adidas Football:

adidas is the global leader in football. It is the official supplier of the most important football tournaments in the world, such as the FIFA World Cup™, the FIFA Women’s World Cup™, the UEFA European Football Championship™, the UEFA Champions League™ & the UEFA Women’s Champions League™. adidas also sponsors some of the world’s top clubs including Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, FC Bayern Munich & Juventus. adidas is also partner to some of the best athletes in the game including Leo Messi, Jude Bellingham, Mohamed Salah, Pedri, Florian Wirtz, Alessia Russo, Paulo Dybala, Lena Oberdorf, Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino, Joao Felix, Serge Gnabry, Manuel Neuer, Karim Benzema, Vivianne Miedema, Mary Fowler, and Wendie Renard.

About Lionel Messi:

The Greatest of All Time. Lionel Messi boasts a legacy of team trophies and individual achievements like few others ever to play the game. Currently playing for MLS club Inter Miami, Messi is also captaining the Argentina Men’s National Football team, reigning World Cup champions. He has set numerous records for individual honors won throughout his professional footballing career and is the most decorated player in the history of professional football with 44 team trophies.

About Bad Bunny:

Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is a multi-platinum recording artist and 3x GRAMMY winner whose ability to break international barriers and dismantle cultural norms has made him a global culture and entertainment icon. The genre-defying star, Spotify’s most-listened to artist globally for three consecutive years (2020-22), holds the all-time touring record grossing $435M in a calendar year, with over 2.4 million tickets sold across 81 shows in 2022. His artistic excellence has been recognized with historic feats, including the first GRAMMY Awards nomination for Album of the Year, for a Spanish-language production, “Un Verano Sin Ti.” The globally acclaimed album is also Spotify’s most-streamed album globally, accumulating over 4.5 billion plays.

In 2023, his album “nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking his third consecutive production to achieve this milestone. Notably, Bad Bunny initially broke the ceiling by becoming the first artist to attain a No. 1 debut on this prestigious list with a Spanish-language album. Elevating his legacy as a trailblazer, Bad Bunny became the first-ever Spanish-language act to headline Coachella. The artist also made an appearance on mainstream television pulling a double duty as host and musical guest of Saturday Night Live. His participation was recognized as a major achievement for Latinos and the normalization of Spanish on one of the longest-running shows in American pop culture.