Lionel Messi stands next to his jumbo-sized, inflatable likeness
Courtesy of Lowe’s
For more than two decades, Lionel Messi has had a larger-than-life impact on the pitch. And as he prepares to represent Argentina one last time at the 2026 World Cup, he could have a similar presence on lawns across America.
Lowe’s on Thursday launched its “Epically More Messi” campaign, its latest venture during a commercial partnership with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner that is entering its third year.
At its center is the creation of 10-foot, inflatable and luminescent lawn-ready Messi figure that its Rewards and ProRewards members can purchase beginning Monday at 10:10 a.m. Eastern Time. (A limited number will also be available at brick-and-mortar Lowe’s locations in the 11 American World Cup host cities, beginning on Wednesday.)
“Very unique,” proclaimed Andres Cantor, the Argentine-born play-by-play voice of Telemundo’s World Cup coverage and a partner (along with his son Nico) in the Lowe’s campaign. “And I’m having issues with my wife because it’s already at my home. And I told her I’m not taking him down until he wins the World Cup again. So he’s there in my back yard.”
The Nuts And Bolts Of Messi And Lowe’s
The stunt is the latest in one of Messi’s more interesting endorsement relationships since he came to the United States to join Inter Miami of MLS in the summer of 2023.
The diminutive and naturally reserved eight-time Ballon d’Or winner might not intuitively feel like a match for a hardware chain. But the math actually makes a lot of sense when considering its other sports partnership.
“We are good partners with the NFL,” explained Gerardo Soto, the company’s vice president of media and sports marketing. “We’ve had that partnership for a long period of time. But what we saw from an audience perspective is that soccer actually was the one audience that overlapped the least with the NFL. And so it gives us the ability to reach more customers, right?”
There’s also the reality the present-day American construction industry and what that workforce looks like.
“It’s very multicultural, right?” Soto said of the appeal of Messi and soccer overall. “And we know that multicultural audiences are the ones driving a lot of the growth in this country. And so it helps us get to more people.”
And while it’s hard to imagine Messi wearing a tool belt doing home repairs, in some ways his quiet genius is analogous to the industry Lowe’s serves.
“If you talk to an associate at a Lowe’s store, you’re going to notice immediately that they are willing to help you,” Soto said. “They want to make sure that you get all of the things that you need so you don’t have to come back because you couldn’t figure it out the first time. And they’re going to find solutions for you for problems that you may bring forward.
“We do that. That’s what we do. And if you translate that into soccer, as you just mentioned, that’s what Messi does, right? He delivers, he helps his team deliver, and ultimately, it’s how they win together.”
Messi’s Growing American Influence
The Argentine-born Andres Cantor and his American-born son Nico, an English-language broadcaster for CBS Sports and other outlets, have been able to marvel first-hand at just what Messi has built in terms of his own American profile.
Andres notes the enormous crowds that have welcomed him at MLS matches, a league that typically averages attendances in the low 20,000s over the course of a season. Just this year, Messi has helped draw more than 70,000 fans to stadiums in Baltimore, Los Angeles and Denver.
“He’s already one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, even here,” Andres said. “I’m saying obvious outside of our borders, but with his arrival here, I believe that everyone knows now who he is and what he has meant to the world of football.”
Nico believes Messi has even helped grow awareness of Argentine culture beyond the Southern Florida enclave where he grew up.
“Maybe 10 years ago, people saw me drinking mate out in the street … sometimes people were questioning what I was drinking,” Nico explained. “And now they’re asking me what brand I drink. And I think that obviously, it helps having the Argentine poster boy playing soccer in our country.”
So there’s little doubt that the emergence of jumbo-size Messi’s across America’s lawns create more intrigue than confusion, even in a nation where soccer as a whole remains a second-tier sport. And it will also meet the majority of Americans where they will be consuming the tournament – in their homes.
The sheer vastness and size of North America already meant the 2026 World Cup would feel like a less all-enveloping, in-person event than in smaller host nations. Add concerns over expenses, the cancellation or downsizing of fanfest activities in some host cities, and even political opposition to president Donald Trump’s influence on the event, there is a growing sense that more soccer diehards might choose to watch on TV than might have otherwise.
“We wanted to make sure that we could show up for our customers and particularly our loyalty members with something that was unique, that was tied to Messi, of course, and his greatness, and therefore a 10-foot Messi,” Soto said. “And something that they can use to celebrate as well at home, right? Because that’s really where most of the celebrations are going to be happening.
“And so we’re super excited about this. Messi’s team was also excited about bringing this to life. So it’s going to be a limited run, and we expect this to sell out. But we’re excited to see where this takes us.”