Lionel Messi is not here for the praise or the glamour. He’s here to create. He is here to win. And carry on winning. That is how and why, after a mesmerizing season, he won a record fifth Ballon d’Or, an award that recognises the best player of the year.

Adidas wanted to pay tribute to the legendary player with a spot that aired as Messi was stepping up to accept the trophy at the awards ceremony on January 11 in Geneva. After ‘Unfollow’, the other Adidas spot we worked on earlier in the year and 40 million hits later, STALKR just had to be part of the tribute, too.

In Messi’s words, “the day you think there are no improvements to be made is a sad one for any player.” Despite having won four times already, Messi is not one to rest on his laurels. He knows what matters and keeps setting the bar higher. This is a portrait of a reluctant celebrity on the red carpet transforming into a magical and irresistible player on the field.

Working with hours of FC Barcelona and the Argentine national team footage, our team of football savvies helped pinpoint the Messi magic and shape this tribute to the dazzling, creative genius of Messi.