On July 19, Adidas welcomed Lionel Messi to Miami, celebrating the Argentine star’s arrival in North America ahead of his first game for Inter Miami CF on July 21. A number of Adidas-branded vehicles, including a cargo ship, boats and helicopters, passed through the Port of Miami and were dressed in Inter Miami CF colors to celebrate. After the ship docked, boxes of Messi jerseys, footballs and more were loaded onto trucks and distributed to fans in Miami communities.
Supporting the game, removing barriers
The fact that local communities rallied around Messi’s arrival proves that the impact of his presence in the U.S. goes beyond his inevitable contributions to Inter Miami CF. As a result, given the increased demand and interest in football in the United States, Adidas is also proud to be a part of the Women’s World Cup and the matches of Europe’s top clubs during their tour of the U.S. this summer.
The brand just announced the expansion of the Just Ball League, a collaborative effort with the U.S. Soccer Foundation to provide free neighborhood youth football leagues in communities throughout New York City and Los Angeles, to Miami. The expansion builds on Adidas’ existing efforts to remove barriers to the sport and level the playing field for low-income households and Black and Brown youth. By leveraging the mini-pitch infrastructure, the brand and the U.S. Soccer Foundation have created over the past six years, Just Ball League will provide free, competitive football leagues in state-of-the-art, safe and accessible spaces for the next generation of athletes in Miami to hone their skills and experience all the benefits of sport. Adidas believes sport has the power to change lives, and Just Ball League is one of the many ways Adidas is uniting people from diverse backgrounds and experiences through sport.
European football makes its way to the U.S.
Beyond Messi’s historic arrival, Adidas is also welcoming several of the most prominent European teams to the U.S. for a number of preseason matches in key cities. Teams like Real Madrid, Arsenal and Manchester United are touring the U.S. over a two-week period this month. This year’s tour is a testament to the growth of football culture in the U.S., as global communities unite here in our backyard to celebrate this historic summer of football.
