This World Cup could end up propelling either Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi into a marked lead in the debate of who is the greatest footballer of all time.
Ronaldo and Messi have treated the Ballon d’Or like a duopoly over the past decade and some believe that both have already surpassed the likes of Diego Maradona, Pele and George Best.
Ronaldo reminded everybody what he was capable of with his hat-trick for Portugal in their World Cup group opener against Spain on Friday night and several believed that his first celebration was a reference to the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) argument as he tickled his chin just moments after opening the scoring with a penalty.
https://twitter.com/JoeyHolmes94/status/1007686139409518596
Well if Ronaldo was staking a claim to the G.O.A.T. title with his celebration, sportswear manufacturer adidas were quick to make their pick for the honour abundantly clear the very next day.
Viewers didn’t miss the subtle advertisement from adidas in the first half of Argentina’s draw with Iceland on Saturday afternoon as the sports apparel brand broadcast an animated ad along the sideline hoardings with several flashing goats before the acronym G.O.A.T. appeared.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjmcQoEFAV0/
In the build-up to the World Cup, adidas put together an advertising campaign in which Messi was pictured holding a literal goat and the reference on Saturday did not go unnoticed by supporters.
Messi failed to take advantage of a gilt-edged opportunity to seal the winner when his penalty after 64 minutes was saved by Icelandic goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson, meaning the first game in Group D ended 1-1.
We gotta talk about adidas’ 🔥🔥 sideboard ad with “G.O.A.T.” and emoji goats for Messi pic.twitter.com/SfHhabjzIn
— Ryan Rosenblatt (@RyanRosenblatt) June 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/Allison/status/1007978810485043206
https://twitter.com/HumphreyWins/status/1007978018768408587
https://twitter.com/_scottwittmann/status/1007974807525298177
the adidas goat ad singlehandedly cheering me up, thank u
— quel (@ofcutthroatilk) June 16, 2018
Loving the subtle Adidas GOAT advertisement.
— Rahul Warrier (@rahulw_) June 16, 2018
Seeing the Adidas GOAT ads on the sideboards while Messi plays is satisfying AF
— Primo (@TruElectro) June 16, 2018
Loving the #adidas advertising boards saying GOAT #leomessi
— Luke Robinson (@WhakataneLuke) June 16, 2018
