Lionel Messi and Adidas came together for a photo shoot to celebrate the record-extending 8th Ballon d’Or win of the Argentine. They recreated an iconic photo of NBA legend, Bill Russell, however, the fans were outraged by the attempt.
Adidas went out of the box to celebrate their star athlete’s achievement. They gifted Lionel Messi eight 14-karat gold rings representing his eight Ballon d’Or victories. As part of brand marketing, Adidas recreated the iconic photo of Bill Russell with his hands on his face with all his NBA championship rings on his fingers.
Why only Bill Russell, if you may ask, It’s because Russell holds the record for the most NBA championship wins by a player. He won 11 times in his illustrious career. Russell represents a record that won’t be surpassed by any player anytime soon, the same goes for Lionel Messi and his Ballon d’Or tally, which may not be surpassed in the near future.
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The results were identical on paper, but the reception from the fans was the polar opposite of the expectations of Adidas. A few sections of the fans were bothered by the fact that rings are not part of soccer culture, while some argued that journalists give the Ballon d’Or, whereas NBA rings are earned. There were few who were still arguing a case for Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi, even in 2023.
Comments like, “I don’t think Messi knows who Bill Russell is,” “Neither are the Goats of their sport,” “Wait footballers also get rings“? “Russell actually earned it and wasn’t given,” and “Still one Champions League less than Cristiano Ronaldo,” echoed the sentiments of fans.
All eight rings of Lionel Messi have a different meaning
Even though some sections of the fans were not pleased with the efforts of Adidas, the global brand did pay attention to details with all these rings of Lionel Messi. Each of the eight rings has a different meaning. Each ring is linked to a part of his illustrious career in which he won a Ballon d’Or.
2009 “El Beso” is the first ring that focuses on the 2008/09 UCL final against Manchester United. It pays tribute to his celebration after the goal against the English club.
Adidas’ special boots to celebrate Lionel Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or 🏆 pic.twitter.com/VF1uQrHPuS
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 31, 2023
2010 “Apunta Al Cielo” is another ring that pays homage to one of his celebrations. It is a touching tribute to Messi’s grandmother, Celia. The Argentine has always credited his grandmother for taking him to training every week when he first started playing soccer.
2011 “GOAT” pays tribute to Messi’s role in the iconic FC Barcelona side under Pep Guardiola. The team is considered one of the best of all time and Lionel Messi was the crown jewel of it.
2012 “91” pays homage to the 91 goals Messi scored in the 2012 calendar year. That year, Messi broke the long-standing record of the great Gerd Müller. The record for most goals in a calendar year still stands strong after 11 years.
The 2015 ring honors the UCL triumph of Lionel Messi along with Neymar Jr. and Luis Suárez in the iconic MSN trio. The triumph helped Messi land his fifth Ballon d’Or back in 2015.
Lionel Messi was presented with 8 gold rings after he collected his 8th Ballon d’Or 🤩
Each ring design is different and carries details of every time he was named the best player in the world 🐐
(via adidas) pic.twitter.com/YU3uYMSE98
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 31, 2023
2019: “Golden Shoe Excellence” focuses on the sixth Golden Shoe victory of Messi. The win made him the player with the Most Golden Shoes in history.
The 2021 ring pays homage to Messi being the “South American Champion.” It celebrates Messi’s performance in the competition, where he was the top scorer as well as the best player of the tournament.
Finally, the 2023 ring celebrates the World Cup triumph. “Argentina World Champion” has three stars on it, which indicates the third triumph of Argentina in the World Cup.
Polarizing views on the collaboration
It is to be noted, that the above comments represent only a section of the community. They might not properly represent the whole picture around the collab. However, they do represent a part of the community to which this specific collaboration didn’t go down well.
countless memories, eight rings, zero doubt. pic.twitter.com/AaNIsEDZcJ
— adidas Football (@adidasfootball) October 30, 2023
On the other hand, the effort from Adidas is commendable. They have documented the illustrious career of Messi in line with his eight Ballon d’Or victories. The connection between rings and US culture runs deep with the NBA and NFL. Considering the current home of Lionel Messi is in the USA, the collaboration works at the present moment.