Adidas Teams with Sony and Disney+ on Animated Series ‘Messi and the Giants’

Adidas is stepping off the pitch and onto the screen. The brand has partnered with Sony Pictures Television Kids and Sony Music Vision on “Messi and the Giants,” an animated children’s series headed to Disney+ globally and Disney Channel in the U.S. next summer — and the collaboration will mark the first-ever on-screen appearance of an Adidas kids’ shoe. For a brand whose association with Lionel Messi dates back to 2006, the project is a neat fusion of sport, storytelling, and licensed product.

The series is billed as a sports fantasy. Its central character, Leo, is a 12-year-old who finds himself trapped in an alternate reality ruled by giants and must compete in high-energy, soccer-like battles to defeat his opponents and find his way home. The creators describe it as an “underdog adventure about courage, perseverance, and believing in yourself,” drawing inspiration from Messi’s own life and career. Messi executive-produced the series alongside his late father, Jorge Messi — a personal thread that gives the project weight beyond typical brand entertainment.

The commercial architecture around it is where Adidas comes in. Alongside the show, Sony Pictures Television Kids and Sony Music Vision are assembling a broad licensing programme: Hasbro on toys and games, Penguin Random House on books, Rubie’s on Halloween costumes and party goods, Centric Brands on home products and apparel, and Panini on stickers and collectibles. Adidas handles the footwear and sports accessories themed to the series. Products begin debuting in summer 2027, with additional launches through fall 2027.

For Adidas, the logic is straightforward. Messi remains one of the most recognisable athletes on earth, and his move into family entertainment extends his reach to a younger audience that may not follow elite football closely but will know him through a beloved character. Planting the three-stripes on a hero child’s feet — literally the first Adidas kids’ shoe rendered on screen — is brand-building disguised as plot. It is also a rare example of a sportswear brand embedding its product natively in narrative rather than simply sponsoring a segment.

The wider trend is hard to miss. Toy-to-screen and screen-to-product loops have become a primary engine of children’s consumer brands, and sports properties are increasingly borrowing the playbook. By tying a kids’ footwear line to a Disney+ property, Adidas gains shelf space in family consciousness at exactly the age when brand preferences start to form. The staggered 2027 rollout also gives retailers and licensees time to build coordinated campaigns rather than a single splash.

There is a risk, as with any celebrity-led kids’ franchise: the storytelling has to earn its audience. If “Messi and the Giants” lands as genuine family entertainment rather than a long advert, the licensed range benefits; if it reads as cynical, even Messi’s halo has limits. Sony’s involvement as a seasoned kids’ content producer is a reassuring signal that the creative bar is meant to be real.

Strategically, the deal shows how fluid the lines have become between athletic brand, media company, and toy manufacturer. Adidas is no longer only selling performance gear to athletes; it is co-creating children’s culture with some of the largest entertainment companies in the world. For the footwear industry, it is a glimpse of where growth increasingly comes from — not just better shoes, but shoes attached to stories kids actually want to be part of.

Source: Footwear Plus (footwearplusmagazine.com) — “Adidas Partners with Sony on Disney+ Animated Series Messi and the Giants” (Oct 8, 2026).