Best Nike Adverts
IN preparation for the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland, sports giants Nike have released the latest in a long line of intelligent football adverts to publicise their latest range of football products.
Ahead of the four yearly tournament which will see the best 16 teams in Europe battling it out to win the trophy Greece won against Portugal in Lisbon in 2004 the advert features some of the most likely contributors to the tournament including Fabregas, Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Here are some of the adverts which the newest advert follows in the footsteps of...
Ahead of the four yearly tournament which will see the best 16 teams in Europe battling it out to win the trophy Greece won against Portugal in Lisbon in 2004 the advert features some of the most likely contributors to the tournament including Fabregas, Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Here are some of the adverts which the newest advert follows in the footsteps of...
“The Home Game” (Starring Thierry Henry and the Manchester United Squad)
The advert from 2005 was to celebrate Thierry Henry being crowed Premiership player of the year and was set in the French strikers mansion in London. The advert depicted Henry dribbling a ball around his house while avoiding tackles from other Nike sponsored players whilst destroying the furniture all around him. It ended with Henry losing control of the ball and coming out of a daze to realise that it was actually his dog who dispossessed him.
“The Secret Tournament” (Starring Eric Cantona, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos and Thierry Henry)
One of the most popular Nike adverts ever created centred round a fantasy secret tournament which involved all the top players in the World playing in a 3 on 3 tournament refereed by Eric Cantona. The advert started with action from some of the games in which the first to score was the winner and left the losers swimming back to shore after being forced to leave the boat. Some dazzling skills were on display as players like Ronaldino, Luis Figo and Totti scored goals to send their team through to the final. Down to just six players left, Henry whispers something to Totti’s ear and as the Italian bends down to tie his shoelace Thierry jumps on his back to get the first touch on the ball which is being dropped into the cage. Henry’s header beats the opposition as Cantona starts laughing and utters the words “The losers go home, bye bye”.
“Brazil’s Joga Bonito” (Starring the Brazil Squad)
The advert was run to celebrate the beginning of Brazil’s defence of the World Cup in 2006. It showed Brazilian’s getting off the coach in a joyful mood preparing for a fictional World Cup Final. Ronaldo pulls a football out of his bag and starts doing some skills before passing the ball onto another one of his team mates who tries to out-do him with another piece of trickery. Roberto Carlos and Adriano are involved before Ronaldino picks up the ball and fakes to give the referee the ball in the changing room before dragging it away from him to the delight of his team mates.
“Beach Football” (Starrting Cristian Vieri, Ibrahim Ba and Ronaldo)
The Beach football advert featured some of the top Nike sponsored players to be appearing at the 1998 World Cup in France. It was a series of eight adverts which saw some of the top players demonstrate their beach football skills. These varied from Ronaldo being forced to play in goal and conceding shot after shot, the Brazilian redeeming himself with an over head kick and an endless chase between Ba and Vieri which ended up with the ball being taken away by a bin lorry.
“The Mission” (Starring Luis Figo and Edgar Davids)
The Nike mission began with a series of skilful players sitting on a minibus dressed as robbers waiting from instructions from Luis Van Gaal. The player’s job was to sneak into an art exhibition and get back a valuable silver football. The players begin scaling the building and getting themselves into position. Edgar Davids and Thuram are first in the action combining their techniques to steal the ball but inadvertently set off alarm alerting the security. Eager to get back to their safe house the players look for a way out of the building which eventually sets up a 1 on 1 between Davids and one of the henchman. Both running for the ball, Davids managers a clever flick to ensure that the team of heroes make away with the ball.
“The Airport” (Starring Ronaldo, Denilson and Romario)
One of the very first Nike adverts to be created was released just before the 1994 World Cup and involved Brazilian superstars waiting in the airport to the USA for a delayed flight. In a bid to curb their boredom the Brazilian’s get out the ball and begin kicking around and are trying to keep the ball away from the security at the airport. Romario shows some dazzing skills before being dragged into an X-ray machine and eventually plays the ball into Ronaldo who struts comfortably towards two metal poles set up as makeshift goals. Unfortunately for the best player in the World he can’t find the space between them and ends up knocking one of them over, much to the disappointment of the watching crowd.
“Good Vs Evil” (Starring Eric Cantona, Ian Wright and Paulo Maldini)
Set just outside the gates of hell, an all star team of Nike heroes are forced to play a game against a team of demons to release them and make it back to earth. After an initial beating and some punishing tackles from their evil opponents the players manage to put some good play together and get into a goal scoring position. Patrick Kluivert wins a header towards the end to set up Eric Cantona who puts his foot on the ball, lifts his collar and says ‘Au reviour’ before unleashing a powerful shot which goes straight through the devil’s stomach.
“Nutmegs”
Two unknown American youngsters start the advert with the ball being stolen off them by the police. The advert runs footage of the two players knocking the ball through innocent peoples legs in a variety of ways taking it in turns to have a go. The argument continues with the police over the ball as then men are shown entering a shop and nutmegging anyone and everyone in sight. The advert ends with the policemen agreeing to hand the ball back to the two men who proceed to put the ball through his legs and run off down the street.”
“Ronaldo Vs Zlatan” (Starring Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic)
This advert, shown just before the World Cup in 2006 depicted two of Europe’s most skilful players against one another with some goading from Eric Cantona. Showing one player a skill the other one had performed, Cantona would encourage their rival to improve on the move which led to some amazing work including multiple round the worlds and a long distance effort at knocking a cone of a players head.
“Ole” (Starring Luis Figo, Ronaldino, Deco and Denilson)
Ahead of a friendly between the two sides before the start of the World Cup the advert depicted a mock build up to the game involving players from both sets of the team. With the players waiting in the tunnel Luis Figo grabs the ball from the ref and puts it through Ronaldo’s legs which starts a competition between the players to show the others up. The shenanigans eventually spill out onto the pitch and the excitement of the fans who fitness Ronalinho pulling off skill after skill until he is tackled by the referee who is eager to get the game started.
“Parklife” (Starring Eric Cantona, Ian Wright, David Seaman and Robbie Fowler)
Set on the pitches of Hackney Marshes the advert shows some top Nike sponsored players wearing the new Tiempo boots whilst playing in a series of park games on a Sunday morning. The action shows Ian Wright scoring and celebrating wildly whilst David Seaman commands his area and Robbie Fowler shows his skills to a couple of local players. The advert ends with the professionals indulging in some stereotypical moments of park football.
The advert from 2005 was to celebrate Thierry Henry being crowed Premiership player of the year and was set in the French strikers mansion in London. The advert depicted Henry dribbling a ball around his house while avoiding tackles from other Nike sponsored players whilst destroying the furniture all around him. It ended with Henry losing control of the ball and coming out of a daze to realise that it was actually his dog who dispossessed him.
“The Secret Tournament” (Starring Eric Cantona, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos and Thierry Henry)
One of the most popular Nike adverts ever created centred round a fantasy secret tournament which involved all the top players in the World playing in a 3 on 3 tournament refereed by Eric Cantona. The advert started with action from some of the games in which the first to score was the winner and left the losers swimming back to shore after being forced to leave the boat. Some dazzling skills were on display as players like Ronaldino, Luis Figo and Totti scored goals to send their team through to the final. Down to just six players left, Henry whispers something to Totti’s ear and as the Italian bends down to tie his shoelace Thierry jumps on his back to get the first touch on the ball which is being dropped into the cage. Henry’s header beats the opposition as Cantona starts laughing and utters the words “The losers go home, bye bye”.
“Brazil’s Joga Bonito” (Starring the Brazil Squad)
The advert was run to celebrate the beginning of Brazil’s defence of the World Cup in 2006. It showed Brazilian’s getting off the coach in a joyful mood preparing for a fictional World Cup Final. Ronaldo pulls a football out of his bag and starts doing some skills before passing the ball onto another one of his team mates who tries to out-do him with another piece of trickery. Roberto Carlos and Adriano are involved before Ronaldino picks up the ball and fakes to give the referee the ball in the changing room before dragging it away from him to the delight of his team mates.
“Beach Football” (Starrting Cristian Vieri, Ibrahim Ba and Ronaldo)
The Beach football advert featured some of the top Nike sponsored players to be appearing at the 1998 World Cup in France. It was a series of eight adverts which saw some of the top players demonstrate their beach football skills. These varied from Ronaldo being forced to play in goal and conceding shot after shot, the Brazilian redeeming himself with an over head kick and an endless chase between Ba and Vieri which ended up with the ball being taken away by a bin lorry.
“The Mission” (Starring Luis Figo and Edgar Davids)
The Nike mission began with a series of skilful players sitting on a minibus dressed as robbers waiting from instructions from Luis Van Gaal. The player’s job was to sneak into an art exhibition and get back a valuable silver football. The players begin scaling the building and getting themselves into position. Edgar Davids and Thuram are first in the action combining their techniques to steal the ball but inadvertently set off alarm alerting the security. Eager to get back to their safe house the players look for a way out of the building which eventually sets up a 1 on 1 between Davids and one of the henchman. Both running for the ball, Davids managers a clever flick to ensure that the team of heroes make away with the ball.
“The Airport” (Starring Ronaldo, Denilson and Romario)
One of the very first Nike adverts to be created was released just before the 1994 World Cup and involved Brazilian superstars waiting in the airport to the USA for a delayed flight. In a bid to curb their boredom the Brazilian’s get out the ball and begin kicking around and are trying to keep the ball away from the security at the airport. Romario shows some dazzing skills before being dragged into an X-ray machine and eventually plays the ball into Ronaldo who struts comfortably towards two metal poles set up as makeshift goals. Unfortunately for the best player in the World he can’t find the space between them and ends up knocking one of them over, much to the disappointment of the watching crowd.
“Good Vs Evil” (Starring Eric Cantona, Ian Wright and Paulo Maldini)
Set just outside the gates of hell, an all star team of Nike heroes are forced to play a game against a team of demons to release them and make it back to earth. After an initial beating and some punishing tackles from their evil opponents the players manage to put some good play together and get into a goal scoring position. Patrick Kluivert wins a header towards the end to set up Eric Cantona who puts his foot on the ball, lifts his collar and says ‘Au reviour’ before unleashing a powerful shot which goes straight through the devil’s stomach.
“Nutmegs”
Two unknown American youngsters start the advert with the ball being stolen off them by the police. The advert runs footage of the two players knocking the ball through innocent peoples legs in a variety of ways taking it in turns to have a go. The argument continues with the police over the ball as then men are shown entering a shop and nutmegging anyone and everyone in sight. The advert ends with the policemen agreeing to hand the ball back to the two men who proceed to put the ball through his legs and run off down the street.”
“Ronaldo Vs Zlatan” (Starring Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic)
This advert, shown just before the World Cup in 2006 depicted two of Europe’s most skilful players against one another with some goading from Eric Cantona. Showing one player a skill the other one had performed, Cantona would encourage their rival to improve on the move which led to some amazing work including multiple round the worlds and a long distance effort at knocking a cone of a players head.
“Ole” (Starring Luis Figo, Ronaldino, Deco and Denilson)
Ahead of a friendly between the two sides before the start of the World Cup the advert depicted a mock build up to the game involving players from both sets of the team. With the players waiting in the tunnel Luis Figo grabs the ball from the ref and puts it through Ronaldo’s legs which starts a competition between the players to show the others up. The shenanigans eventually spill out onto the pitch and the excitement of the fans who fitness Ronalinho pulling off skill after skill until he is tackled by the referee who is eager to get the game started.
“Parklife” (Starring Eric Cantona, Ian Wright, David Seaman and Robbie Fowler)
Set on the pitches of Hackney Marshes the advert shows some top Nike sponsored players wearing the new Tiempo boots whilst playing in a series of park games on a Sunday morning. The action shows Ian Wright scoring and celebrating wildly whilst David Seaman commands his area and Robbie Fowler shows his skills to a couple of local players. The advert ends with the professionals indulging in some stereotypical moments of park football.