Nike rallies football world with 'Rip the Script' campaign

Nike has launched Rip the Script, a global football campaign featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Vini Jr., alongside legends and cultural figures, positioning the brand around attacking, instinctive play ahead of this summer's international tournament.

The centrepiece is a six-minute film set inside a Hollywood mega-studio, in which current stars and retired legends - including Eric Cantona, Ronaldinho, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Didier Drogba, and Jorge Campos - go off-script in what Nike describes as a celebration of intuitive football.

Cameo appearances from LeBron James, Travis Scott, Kim Kardashian, Travis Scott, Channing Tatum, Young Miko, and LISA extend the campaign's cultural reach beyond the pitch.

More than a film

Nike is framing Rip the Script not as a standalone campaign but as a gateway to what the brand calls the "universe of Nike Football" - a content and product ecosystem designed to unfold across the summer.

"We know the magical moments in football happen when players trust their instincts," said Helena Thornton, VP of Nike Brand Management.

"That's the kind of football we love: fresh, instinctive, unexpected, and creative."

Thornton said the campaign was built to meet football communities "exactly where they are," rejecting the traditional marketing playbook in favour of content designed to be clipped, shared, and remixed.

Creative director Enrico Balleri, VP of Global Brand Voice, said deliberate casting decisions underpinned the film's authenticity. "We were intentional in choosing every cast member in the film, and we had fun and leaned into the playfulness of their roles," Balleri said.

He noted that Kim Kardashian's involvement stemmed from her real-world connection to the sport - she takes her son Saint to football - resulting in a "soccer mom" persona that will be extended in future content.

 

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On-pitch and off-pitch product push

The campaign runs alongside a broad product and retail rollout. Nike's 2026 federation kits incorporate the brand's new Aero-FIT performance cooling technology and country-specific heritage design.

Four new boots - the Mercurial Vapor 17, Mercurial Superfly 11, Phantom 6, and Tiempo Maestro - complete the on-pitch lineup.

Off the pitch, Nike's X2 collections feature seven country-specific styles shaped in collaboration with local designers, artists, and communities.

The Cryoshot and Mad 90 Pack translate iconic boot designs into contemporary sportswear, while the Hollywood Keepers collection draws on the expressive goalkeeper kits of the 1990s and early 2000s.

In Mexico and Latin America, the Tercer Tiempo F.C. and Amor & Furia collections are positioned around match-day culture.

Nike says it will refresh more than 5,000 retail locations globally from early June through the end of the tournament.

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