There are crossovers you expect.And then there are crossovers that make the internet collectively lose its mind.Sony Pictures just delivered the latter, dropping a promotional teaser for Spider-Man:Brand New Day that features none other than Lionel Messi,that Messi,teaming up with Tom Holland's Spider-Man.but this collab is everyone is talking about.
The teaser opens with Peter Parker 'Tom Holland' the spider-man casually chatting on the phone in a cozy New York cafe. Mid-conversation,he freezes.Someone walks in. The person on the other end of the call is confused.
Peter stammers: "You're Messi?"
The cafe owner,completely unbothered, replies: "Yes, he knows."
Messi, playing himself as a Spider-Man superfan, pulls out his phone and reveals he's using a Spidey-Tracker app to find his favourite superhero. Peter excuses himself, disappears, and returns in full costume. His first question? "You're good with heights?"
Before Messi can answer,the two are swinging through the New York skyline Messi holding on for dear life as Spider-Man takes the football legend on the ride of his life.
- Timing Is Everything- The teaser dropped on June 30, right as the FIFA World Cup 2026 heats up. Argentina was preparing for their knockout match against Cape Verde, and what better way to capture global attention than by merging the world's biggest sporting event with one of Hollywood's biggest franchises? It's a masterclass in cross-industry synergy football fans and Marvel fans colliding in the same conversation.
- The Personal Connection- He famously met Messi at the 2021 Ballon d'Or ceremony and couldn't hide his excitement. That genuine admiration translates on screen. When Peter Parker geeked out over Messi, it wasn't just acting; it was Holland being his authentic self. And authenticity? That's what makes a collaboration stick.
- The Business Behind the Buzz- He's promoting a movie—and a massive one at that. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the fourth MCU Spider-Man film, set four years after No Way Home, with Peter Parker navigating a world that has forgotten him.
Sony Pictures is pulling out all the stops. The first trailer already made history as the first trailer ever to surpass 1 billion views in its first week. The second trailer racked up 590.8 million views in its first week alone. Adding Messi to the mix? That's a promotional power move designed to dominate both the sports and entertainment news cycles.
Rumours says ! Some reports suggest Messi was paid a whopping $15 million for this appearance. While unconfirmed, it speaks to the scale of this campaign-Sony isn't playing small.