Entertainment

"When football ends, fútbol begins" — MLS and Apple TV release Super Bowl ad starring Lionel Messi

Move over football, fútbol is coming back.

Super Bowl LIX was one of the books, with the Philadelphia Eagles cruising past the former back-to-back champions Kansas City Chiefs to take the American football throne in perhaps one of the most memorable one-sided performances in recent NFL championship game history. It was an incredible result in the United States' biggest sporting event.

Major League Soccer and Apple TV, however, could not be left out of the conversation and dropped a slick digital ad to promote the upcoming restart of the MLS season this February just moments after Super Bowl LIX had wrapped up. 

In the 30-second ad, starring soccer legend Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami captain is seen dribbling and juggling an NFL-style football inside an empty stadium before volleying it through the goalposts.

Watch: Lionel Messi stars in Super Bowl LIX Apple TV promo for 2025 MLS Season 

The spot concludes with the words, "When Football ends, Fútbol begins," signaling to the end of the NFL season and return of MLS action. The promo was shared across the social media accounts of Messi, Apple TV, MLS, Inter Miami, Adidas Football, and Royal Caribbean.

The commercial also unveiled Inter Miami's sleek new 2025 MLS season jersey, adding another layer of anticipation for fans gearing up for the season.

Interestingly, the ad didn’t air on FOX during the Super Bowl broadcast. Instead, it was strategically released on social media, perhaps maximizing its reach across multiple platforms.

This year’s Super Bowl also marked Messi’s first attendance at the “big game,” where the Inter Miami captain was spotted in the stands with teammates Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets.

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