Gatorade Works Up a Sweat Ahead of FIFA World Cup

With Christian Pulisic, Vinícius Júnior, Julián Álvarez and more

Which would you trust to help you win soccer games: your lucky boots … or sweat?

Gatorade hypes the latter, leaning into classic brand imagery (orange perspiration) in a spot packed with F/X and some of the game’s biggest names. The point is: Victories are earned the hard way, not through magic or serendipity.

Actually, a pair of enchanted kicks hold their own pretty well against human competition in the video’s most amusing sequence.

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TBWA\Chiat\Day L.A. and Springtime developed the fresh take on Gatorade’s famous “Is It In You?” positioning, urging viewers to “Trust What’s Inside.”

While suitably intense, lighter moments help lift the storyline from the realm of sports clichés. Yes, everyone’s sweating, straining and striving. Still, they’re having a blast chasing their dreams.

Iconoclast’s Ernest Desumbila directs the commercial in frenetic style. Former Premier Leaguer and TV commentator Clint Dempsey narrates. The latter’s relaxed-yet-enthusiastic tones provide a neat counterpoint to the gaudy visuals and help anchor the narrative.

Christian Pulisic, Vinícius Júnior, Julián Álvarez, Gilberto Mora, Luis Díaz and Tajon Buchanan appear.

“Gatorade has been with me for my entire career—from my youth days to my biggest moments on the pitch,” Pulisic says in press materials. “This campaign perfectly captures what it takes to compete at the highest level: sweat, repetition and a commitment to putting in the work. There’s no luck involved.”

Look for more elements to launch as the FIFA World Cup approaches, though the push isn’t specifically tied to the tournament.