Is Adidas afraid of losing Messi?

“Thank you for loving me so much.”

Those words from Lionel Messi have made adidas’ latest video feel less like an advertisement and more like an emotional farewell to one of the biggest faces in football.

Ahead of Messi’s final international appearance for Argentina, adidas posted a video featuring the Argentine superstar’s voice delivering a message that sounds like a goodbye to the fans who have followed him throughout his extraordinary career.

The message is simple but powerful: Messi reflects on his journey, his pride in wearing the Argentina shirt and his gratitude to those who have loved and supported him.

And that raises an interesting question —is adidas afraid of losing Messi? 

The answer may be more complicated than it appears.

Messi is not leaving adidas. The Argentine has been one of the sportswear giant’s most important football ambassadors for years, with the partnership producing signature boots, clothing and campaigns built around his name.

In September, adidas unveiled a special Argentina collection for Messi’s farewell international appearance, including a commemorative shirt featuring his signature logo and gold detailing.

But what adidas could be losing is something much bigger: the Messi era.

For years, Messi has been more than an adidas athlete. His image has been deeply connected with the brand’s football identity. His name has appeared on signature products and major campaigns, making him one of the most recognisable sporting figures associated with adidas.

So as Messi moves toward the final stage of his international career, adidas also needs a new generation of stars to carry its football story forward.

And one name stands out.

Lamine Yamal: the next Messi?

If adidas needs a young face capable of carrying its football identity into the future, Lamine Yamal appears to be one of its biggest bets.

Adidas signed Yamal to a long-term partnership in 2024. At the time, the company highlighted the teenager’s admiration for Messi and made him the first player other than Messi to officially wear the Argentine’s exclusive signature line.

The connection has only grown since then.

Yamal featured alongside Messi in adidas’ major 2026 World Cup campaign, while the brand has increasingly positioned the Barcelona star among the young players who could define football’s next generation. Adidas’ own World Cup campaign also featured Messi and Yamal together while describing them as part of football’s next historic chapter.

That does not mean adidas has officially declared Yamal to be Messi’s replacement.

But the signs are difficult to ignore.

Messi is the established icon. Yamal is the emerging superstar.

And there is an almost perfect story between them: Messi, the player Yamal grew up idolising, is approaching the end of his international career just as Yamal is becoming one of the most recognisable young players in world football.

There have even been reports of adidas planning a major Messi-Yamal project for 2027, potentially turning the passing of the torch into a campaign of its own.

So perhaps adidas is not afraid of losing Messi.

Perhaps it is afraid of what football looks like without Messi at the centre of its story.

And that may explain why the brand’s latest video feels so emotional.

Adidas knows Messi’s chapter is coming to an end.

But it also appears to know who could be ready to begin the next one.

Messi built the legacy. Yamal may be the face of what comes next.