Scoopfeeds — Intelligent news, curated.
The World Cup of adverts: How brands are competing to entertain, not simply sell
top

The World Cup of adverts: How brands are competing to entertain, not simply sell

BBC News · Jun 12, 2026, 4:18 AM

Key takeaways

  • Rip the Script, as the ad is called, features Haaland alongside fellow goal machines Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo.
  • But more notably, it also features a sea of stars from other parts of the entertainment galaxy that are adjacent to the beautiful game.
  • James and Ronaldo appear together looking less like sports stars and more like characters from the X-Men or Justice League.

Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.

Paul Glynn Culture reporter Nike/Palace/England/Adidas/Irn-Bru Clockwise from top left: Wayne Rooney, Kim Kardashian and son Saint West, Susan Boyle and Timothée Chalamet have all featured in adverts in advance of the World Cup Almost six minutes into Nike's frenzied recent football-themed advert, Norwegian superstar striker Erling Haaland finally leaps into life.

Having hitherto sat around the film set waiting patiently with his supposed stunt double, US actor Channing Tatum, the Manchester City forward appears as if from nowhere in slow motion - and in final boss mode - to ruin a young player's shot at glory.

Rip the Script, as the ad is called, features Haaland alongside fellow goal machines Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Article preview — originally published by BBC News. Full story at the source.
Read full story on BBC News → More top stories
Aggregated and edited by the Scoop newsroom. We surface news from BBC News alongside other reporting so you can compare coverage in one place. Editorial policy · Corrections · About Scoop