Nike dropped its World Cup ad for the 2022 World Cup, and it is a treat for soccer fans regardless of age. There are modern day stars such as Kylian Mbappé, Kevin de Bruyne, Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo. There are also stars of decades ago, such as Ronaldo, Edgar Davids, Ronaldinho and a younger Cristiano Ronaldo.

The commercial seeks to end the longstanding debate over who is the greatest soccer player, Nike athletes only. Scientists in Geneva beam in players from across time. At first, it is just two masters of skill. Kylian Mbappé, who won the World Cup with France, and Ronaldinho, who won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil. The two have a kickabout before other scientists beam in their favorite stars over the years.

For instance, there is an appearance from the Brazilian Ronaldo of 1998, who dominated before that infamous World Cup Final against France. Then, four years later, and with a fresh haircut, that same Ronaldo found glory. The same player, but from different time periods. This would not be the only player to have that treatment.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a modern day star, but he also has a cameo as his younger self, the one that played a role in the 2004 European Championship in Portugal.

Other players playing a role throughout the Nike World Cup ad include women’s stars Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Sam Kerr and Leah Williamson.

At the end, the advertisement closes with silhouettes of players, signaling the next generation of soccer stars.

Another top notch Nike World Cup ad

Nike has a history of producing an elite World Cup ad. In 2014, the animated “Risk Everything” advertisement had players like Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, David Luiz and Zlatan Ibrahimovic battle soccer robots that mimicked the real players. Four years before then, Nike’s “Write the Future” called upon Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano and a number of other World Cup stars. They show the potential of what can be with World Cup glory or, in some cases, defeat.

The 2022 World Cup ad calls back to those commercials that bring in the biggest names in the Nike arsenal. Ronaldo appears, as he always does, but so do the biggest names of years prior.

It is also a nice touch to play on the multiverse that appears in both the Marvel Avengers world, as well as the Metaverse, an online living platform in virtual reality. The ad ties the past brilliance with the modern day, and even extends it into the future.

Guide to World Cup 2022

Here are some resources to help you get the most out of the biggest event in soccer!
TV Schedule: All the info on where and when to watch every game
The Groups: We breakdown each group and all the teams
The Kits: Check out what every team will be wearing on the field this fall
Predictor: Play out every scenario with our World Cup Predictor
World Cup Bracket: Map out the entire tournament, from the groups to the final