- Anheuser-Busch released a teaser for the ad on Thursday. The spot could cost $14 million
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Taking MLS by storm was one thing. Now Lionel Messi has his sights set on Super Bowl LVIII.
The Inter Miami star, World Cup winner and global soccer icon will headline a Super Bowl ad for Michelob Ultra, the brand announced Thursday. A teaser for a 60-second spot shows Messi ordering a beer on the way to a bar and his reaction when the tap stops running.
Notably, the spot could cost around $14 million based on advertising costs for Super Bowl XLVII in 2023.
Meanwhile, Messi and Inter Miami have begun the next leg of the club's globe-trotting pre-season, hosting a special birthday bash on board for new signing Luis Suárez. The former Barcelona striker celebrated his 37th birthday on Wednesday and was greeted with a cake while his teammates sang “Happy Birthday” in Spanish.
Having already played in El Salvador and Texas, the Herons are scheduled to play twice in Saudi Arabia next week – including a clash against Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr on February 1. The Super Bowl takes place in Las Vegas on February 11, although it is unclear whether he will be in attendance.
Anheuser-Busch released a teaser for the ad on Thursday. The spot could cost $14 million
During a 60-second spot for Michelob Ultra, Lionel Messi is seen staring at a bar
A bartender smiles at Lionel Messi during a Super Bowl LVIII commercial for Michelob
Messi's partnership with Michelob Ultra's parent company, Anheuser-Busch, began in 2020. The Super Bowl spot is part of the beer's significant investment in football. The ad follows the brand's announcement as global beer sponsor of Copa America this summer.
Ultra is also expected to partner with the men's World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico in 2026 – when Messi and Argentina look to defend their title.
Messi is a marketing dream involving major brands like Adidas, Gatorade, Hard Rock International, Royal Caribbean and Apple TV. His social media footprint is massive, with nearly 500 million followers on Instagram.
Anheuser-Busch regularly spends millions on Super Bowl advertising; Last year's game brought in a prize of up to $7 million for a 30-second spot. Companies paid him to appear on the biggest U.S. advertising stage, hoping to reach an expected audience of more than 100 million.
Lionel Messi flashed a wide grin as he boarded a team plane to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday
The beverage giant had a Michelob Ultra spot as part of the Super Bowl lineup last year, also with a sports theme — it was set at Bushwood Country Club, the fictional country club in “Caddyshack,” and starred tennis player Serena Williams, alum of Dallas Cowboys, starring quarterback and current TV analyst Tony Romo, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, golfer Rickie Fowler, football player Alex Morgan and boxer Canelo Alvarez.
Messi has scored more than 800 goals in his career for club and country, making him one of the greatest goalscorers in the history of the sport. In the recent 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won against France, he scored two goals in the penalty shootout.
Messi is a four-time Champions League winner, an Olympic gold medalist and has been involved in a total of 44 trophy wins, which is considered the most in football history.