Before the 2018 winter World Cup in Russia, Pepsi MAX released a glorious new commercial featuring football stars Lionel Messi, Toni Kroos, Dele Alli, Marcelo, and Carli Lloyd. The ad marked PepsiCo 2018 new campaign ‘Love it. Live it. Football’, which brings the game and its star players to the streets.

Each of the players featured in the ad holds a special place in the game and the hearts and mind of its lovers.

• Leo Messi is a five-time Best Player of the Year and Four-time UEFA Champions League winner,
• Marcelo is a world-renowned Brazilian defender and back to back UEFA Champions League winner,
• Toni Kroos is a three-time UEFA Champions League winner and German midfielder,
• Carli Lloyd is a US award-winning playmaker and two-time Women’s Best Player of the year, and
• Dele Alli is an English rising star and two-time Young Player of the Year.

The ad is among the latest commercials in which Pepsi features popular football stars.

The early 2000s marked Pepsi’s most successful era with football commercials. The objective was and is to bring joy to every footballing generation. Through football, Pepsi is able to connect with billions of fans and viewers across different global markets.

By featuring popular football players in commercials, the company creates an intimate relationship between fans and its products.

PepsiCo has entered into sponsorship deals with star players over the years. The company contingent of footballers appears in commercials based on how influential they are in given markets.

In 2014, Pepsi achieved a milestone by recruiting a team of 19 elite footballers from 5 continents and nearly 20 countries. The superstar football squad was unveiled using the “FUTBOLNOW” slogan and part of its “Live For Now” campaign.

It brought together an unprecedented wealth of international talent to create one of the most jam-packed, multi-talented and iconic lineups ever.

The star-studded Pepsi ad featured Record-breaking football superstar Leo Messi, Argentinian international striker Sergio Agüero and young British talent Jack Wilshere. They were joined by Brazilian defender David Luiz, the Spanish great Sergio Ramos, and the prolific Dutch goalscorer Robin van Persie. One of Pepsi’s greatest 2010s football lineups.

In addition to the super six, Pepsi featured a host of star players from different countries across the world. Notable greats included Clint Dempsey of the US, Mario Gomez from Germany, Vincent Kompany, a Belgian defender, Mohamed Salah, an Egyptian winger, Gylfi Sigurdsson of Iceland, and Victor Moses, a Nigerian winger.

Others were Juan Guillermo of Colombia, Tarik Elyounoussi of Norway, Kemar Lawrence of Jamaica, Andriy Pyatov of Ukraine, Maynor Figueroa of Honduras, Oribe Peralta of Mexico, and Peter Osaze Odemwingie of Nigeria.

Messi is one of the footballing greats constantly featured in Pepsi ads. The company continues its tradition, which started with former football stars, of which most are currently retired.

Pepsi Best football Commercials

PepsiCo’s notable ads of the 2000s featured legendary footballers with David Beckham, who was plying his trade at the Spanish giants, Real Madrid, starring in most of the commercials.

The 2002 Beckham & All-Stars football team vs.SUMOS (the video can be viewed here) featured other prominent players such as Raul, Roberto Carlos, Juan Sebastian Veron, Gigi Buffon, Emmanuel Petit, Rui Costa and Edgar Davids. In the ad, the football stars square up against Japanese sumo wrestlers, opponents twice their size, in a game of street football. The sumos win and claim the ultimate prize, an icebox full of Pepsi.

In another 2004 epic ad, The Football Warriors, David Beckham is featured alongside football greats football great Totti, Roberto Carlos, Raul, Torres, Ronaldinho, and Fabregas.

They act like cowboys and medieval warriors who stand up to defend the town’s Pepsi treasures from invaders in an action-packed football match.

The likes of Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry were also featured alongside the dominant stars (Beckham, Roberto Carlos, and Ronaldinho) in Bavaria and Surf’s up ads.

Pepsi runs some of the most captivating football commercials than established brands in the industry such as Nike and Adidas. The company’ success over its competitors owes to the ability to bring together football greats through which it reaches fans and followers of the game across the world.