Jude Bellingham will take centre stage in Adidas’ campaign for the European Championship this summer to the soundtrack of the great Beatles track Hey Jude, for which the German sportswear giant has licensed the rights.
The 20-year-old’s breakthrough season at Real Madrid has thrust him to the top of Adidas’ European A-list of endorsees, once occupied by the likes of David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane, both former players at Real. Other players across different Euro 2024 nations are expected to feature in the yet-to-be-released commercial that centres upon Bellingham and the Beatles track that references his name.
The positioning of Bellingham as the current playing star of the Adidas campaign reflects his status in European football. The expectation is Bellingham will be a Ballon D’Or contender – and possible winner – come the end of the year. He plays for Real against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley a week on Saturday.
It is also notable that an England international would take prominence for one of the great global German brands at a tournament in Germany. The young star of the Germany team, Jamal Musiala, 21, of Bayern Munich, is a Nike endorsee. As is Kylian Mbappe, the other Euros star with the biggest commercial brand.
Erling Haaland, who also has a lucrative Nike endorsement, did not qualify with Norway. Adidas will also have a major campaign around the Copa America next month in the United States, featuring its greatest endorsee, Lionel Messi.
Hey Jude is a popular tune when it comes to football fans – although mostly adapted to reference their own clubs or players. Released first as a single by The Beatles in 1968, and written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, its licensing value is substantial.
Bellingham was a key figure in Adidas’ campaign for the previous World Cup finals in 2022, featuring prominently in a commercial that included Messi, Karim Benzema, Serge Gnabry and the British music star Stormzy. Bellingham also has an endorsement deal with the energy drink Lucozade, owned by the Japanese beverage giant Suntory.
Adidas declined to comment on the details of the Bellingham commercial. An Adidas spokesperson said: “Over the coming weeks Adidas will be supporting its sponsored players and teams. Our campaign starts on June 1 at the Uefa Champions League final before we head into Uefa Euro 2024. It’s a great summer of sport ahead and a chance for Adidas to support all athletes with our message ‘You Got This’.”
