Soccer might not be America’s favourite sport but the Lionel Messi craze is still going strong. Nearly 6 months after his MLS debut, fans and fellow soccer players are eager to watch the Inter Miami star back in action. German apparel brand Adidas seems to have pounced on the fan-following of its most marketable athlete by announcing a sneaker line after him. This takes Messi into uncharted territory, previously reached by a certain Michael Jordan. Earlier, Adidas played a crucial role in helping Inter Miami land Messi by offering a strategic deal.

Keeping all that in mind, the news of the upcoming sneaker line suggests that Adidas believes Lionel Messi can sustain himself in the same US market in which the NBA icon has thrived. Adidas will be releasing a Samba Sneaker line based on Lionel Messi in 2024. This comes 12 years after the original Samba-style shoes arrived on the market. The new ones feature white as the dominant color with purple stripes on the side and at the back. Samba is printed in gold on the side.

In 2012, Samba Originals by Adidas was released as a tribute to Lionel Messi. The shoes proved to be an immense hit considering their versatility. The Samba trainers are equally at home while playing sports or while dancing. Hence, the apparel giants are looking to bring the popular collection back into the market. Yet, despite its quality, the Samba trainers are a long way off from reaching the popularity of the Jordan series.

Michael Jordan’s partnership with Nike produced the legendary Jordan sneaker line, of which the most popular is the ‘Air’ series. The first Air Jordan shoes were released back in 1984. Understandably, Adidas is looking to emulate the legendary partnership. Yet, this is not the first time Lionel Messi and Michael Jordan have been on the same wavelength.

Adidas’ Michael Jordan-like MLS deal for Lionel Messi

Being the official sponsor for both Lionel Messi and MLS, Adidas employed a creative deal to unite the two. Due to his ongoing involvement with the MLS, Adidas has offered the Argentine a cut of the increased profits generated. This deal shares an uncanny resemblance to Nike’s agreement with Michael Jordan back in the 1980s.

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In 1984, the basketball pro signed a contract with Nike without a fixed financial figure to be received. Rather, he got a 5% royalty from the earnings of his ‘Jordan’ brand. With a net worth of around $3 billion, it’s safe to say that he benefited greatly from the deal. The Lionel Messi agreement, courtesy of being more recent, is estimated to earn him around $32 billion! A staggering amount but one that pales in comparison to how the Argentine has impacted ‘the beautiful game’ in the USA.

What is your opinion about the ‘Samba’ sneakers? Tell us in the comments below.

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