Nike’s “universe of football” continues in advance of the World Cup, with a rallying cry for young players everywhere to ditch the playbook and embrace attacking, creative, instinctive and joyful football.
Rip The Script advocates for “Courage over convention. Instinct over instruction. Creativity over everything.” More than a film, it is the gateway to an unfolding universe of Nike Football that moves at the speed of culture – across sport, entertainment, music and fashion.
“We know the magical moments in football happen when players trust their instincts,” stated Helena Thornton, VP, Nike brand management. “That’s the kind of football we love – fresh, instinctive, unexpected and creative. We made this film to meet football communities exactly where they are, not just on a screen, but in their world and deeply engrained into their subcultures,” says Helena. “We didn’t want to follow the traditional marketing playbook. We wanted to give them something worth talking about, worth clipping, worth wearing, worth showing up to. A story they don’t just watch – one they can make their own. That’s the whole idea behind our universe of Nike Football.”
The film features Nike’s biggest footballers of the past and present as they go off script and show they know best, unleashing chaos in a freewheeling celebration of intuitive play – Kylian Mbappé breaks away from the defence, then finishes with a brilliant bicycle kick; Vini Jr. sidesteps hostility with a smile; Cristiano Ronaldo keeps pushing the limits of how much one athlete can achieve; Erling Haaland strikes only when the moment is right; legends, Eric Cantona, Ronaldinho, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Didier Drogba and Jorge Campos continue to play by their own rules, even in retirement.
LeBron James, Travis Scott, Kim Kardashian, Ted Lasso, Kate Scott, Channing Tatum, Young Miko and LISA make cameo appearances, entertained and amused by the madness around them and reinforcing Nike’s belief that football’s influence reaches far beyond the game.
“We were intentional in choosing every cast member in the film, and we had fun and leaned into the playfulness of their roles,” commented Enrico Balleri, VP, creative director, global brand voice. “We knew Kim, for example, takes Saint to play football, so we created a whole ‘soccer mom’ persona for her, and in later extensions of the film, we’ll build and deepen that storyline. A cast that reflected an authenticity and a real connection to football was crucial to us.”
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