Kerr a fine fit for Nike Cup ad
IF THERE was ever a sign that Australia’s most recognisable footballer isn’t a Socceroo, the latest Nike World Cup commercial is proof.
Sam Kerr is the lone Australian to appear amid a cavalcade of the shoe giant’s global icons of football in a 3½-minute extravaganza described as the GOAT experiment.
French superstar Kylian Mbappe, whom the Socceroos will try to control on Wednesday morning (AEDT), is a central figure, as is Christiano Ronaldo, who is at his final World Cup with Portugal.
Kerr appears about halfway through, in a clear indication that Nike will pour an avalanche of resources into promoting its stars for next y e a r ’ s W o m e n ’ s World Cup; she is one of three females in the GOAT experiment, with US legend Alex Morgan and England captain Leah Williamson also involved.
Leo Messi is not included, given his long association with Adidas, a relationship that only happened because the Messi family walked away from an early association with Nike when Messi was breaking into the Barcelona first team.
The Messis believed they weren’t getting enough love from Nike, and switched to its long-standing rival in Adidas.
Still, Nike is doing OK for itself. Along with Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo, the ad highlights three versions of Brazilian legend Ronaldo - the 1998 one who led Brazil to a World Cup final, the 2002 one and his Golden Boot exploits and the present one, who is more than happy in retirement.
It’s now a tradition Nike releases a commercial before a World Cup, and many are saying this edition is its greatest work.