Fernando Romero Nuñez 
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi will appear in his own Super Bowl ad as part of the Michelob Ultra campaign. The 90-second clip, which was released on Thursday and quickly went viral, also features Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis and former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino.
While Inter Miami prepares for the second season of its “Messi-era”, set to kick off on February 21, the Argentine superstar keeps riding the wave of commercial success that he’s brought to the Herons.
The ad sees Messi arrive at a beach bar with two friends and ask for pints of beer. However, when it’s time to get his, the barrel runs out. The Argentine, who doesn’t speak a single word of English during the entire commercial, insists on waiting for his preferred brand.
While waiting, a football rolls to his feet, tempting Messi to dribble past most of the beachgoers — not that different from his MLS performances so far. It’s at that point that Sudeikis makes his appearance in the role of Ted Lasso, his character from the eponymous series, where he plays an American football coach training an English team, for which he won two Emmys for best comedy actor.
Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino also makes a special appearance, receiving a pass from the Argentine star while standing on a boat before returning one of his iconic long throws. When Messi is in front of the goal, however, he’s reminded his beer is ready and instead chooses to assist an onlooker for the goal.
The ad, set to feature at the 2024 Super Bowl half-time, cost US$14 million, according to The New York Times. The NFL’s biggest game of the season is scheduled for February 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the San Francisco 49ers.
