Nike’s best football ads, including Brazil’s 1998 World Cup squad showboating, and Cantona playing on Hackney Marshes
NIKE always manage to come up with the goods when it comes to a football advert. And they’ve even roped in ace Hollywood film directors in the past, including Baby Driver auteur Edgar Wright for a promo featuring Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani. And while it was pretty boss, we didn’t think it’s the best […]
NIKE always manage to come up with the goods when it comes to a football advert.
And they’ve even roped in ace Hollywood film directors in the past, including Baby Driver auteur Edgar Wright for a promo featuring Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani.
And while it was pretty boss, we didn’t think it’s the best commercial they’ve done.
SunSport’s delved into the Nike archives and unearthed these gems featuring some of the world’s greatest ever talents.
Most of them have one thing in common… one of the great mavericks, Eric Cantona!
Good v Evil – 1996
Right before Euro 1996, Nike really began pouring money into football ads.
This one, featuring nearly every great footballer on the planet of the time, pitted the players against the devil.
Both Cantona and Paolo Maldini showed off their acting chops with speaking parts.
Cantona signs off the ad in a trademark style with an “au revoir” before he fires a ball through the devil, scoring a goal and winning the day.
Eric Cantona, Ian Wright and David Seaman celebrate Parklife – 1997
To the tune of the infamous Blur hit, Parklife grassroots football is superbly represented.
We are transported to various pitches, where each team has a star name in their ranks.
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We see Seaman punching a ball from a corner, Cantona dribbling and Wrighty smashing a volley home.
Brazil’s World Cup squad – 1998
Even the Samba boys had to go through airport security, but they did it with style.
Ronaldo, Denilson, Roberto Carlos and Co play a bit of keep ball in a free-flowing move, ducking around other flyers.
We see nutmegs, a trademark long-distance smash from Carlos round a plane, admired by you know who, Cantona, who makes an appearance.
However, when it’s up to Ronaldo to finish off the move, he’s unable to score.
The Cage – 2002
Said to have cost Nike around £80 million, it featured the likes of Thierry Henry, Edgar Davids, Ronaldo and Luis Figo.
The idea was teams of three footballers competing against one another in a cage, sort of like UFC but with goals at the end.
Cantona plays the role of referee, feeding the ball into the cage for the players and reacting comically to every moment.
Incidentally, it’s Henry’s team that wins the tournament when he heads home thanks to a cheeky assist by Francesco Totti.
Take It to the Next Level – 2008
Directed by Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels filmmaker Guy Ritchie, this ad puts you in the life of a footballer.
While playing for an amateur, Arsene Wenger eyes up this talent and welcomes him to Arsenal.
He has run-ins with Cristiano Ronaldo, Cesc Fabregas is his best mate and works hard to improve his game.
In fact, he works so hard he pukes a lot.
The video is most-certainly a homage to The Prodigy’s Smack My B**** Up.
Wayne Rooney living in a caravan – 2010
It’s a case of what could’ve been.
At least that’s what this Nike ad is trying to tell us with Rooney.
The England record goalscorer proved to be a good sport, growing a beard and looking dishevelled for the part.
His part in the ad actually completely overshadows everyone else, including Didier Drogba, Fabio Cannavaro, Ronaldinho, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
It was directed by movie director Alejandro Inarritu, who won Oscars for Babel, Birdman and The Revenant.
Winner Stays On – 2014
Another ad that goes back to basics and take us down the park for a kickabout.
However, this game soon transforms from being played into a park to a major stadium.
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The kids that start the ad turn into superstars including Ronaldo and Neymar.
Ronaldo’s then missus Irina Shayk also makes an appearance, blowing a kiss to her man.
