The report says Messi appears in a video using the tool to give his hair Argentina’s colours, with fans encouraged to reproduce the effect through a photo and a written prompt. The reaction reportedly included the blunt response, “Espera... o quê?”
That response captures the problem. The activation offers image customisation when many supporters want something more immediate: shirts, flags, painted faces, packed bars, chants and arguments over team selection. The campaign may be easy to share, but shareability is not the same as emotional connection.
Messi’s appeal comes from football history, not simply celebrity reach. He was the central figure in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph and remains closely tied to the national team’s identity. Supporters do not need technology to understand what he represents.
That makes the creative choice feel especially awkward. A player whose strongest connection with fans was forged through matches, pressure and collective celebration has been placed inside a promotion led by digital self-editing. The distance between those two worlds is clear.
AI can help fans explore tactics, relive moments and personalise their relationship with the game. A hair-colour filter is a narrower proposition. It turns national pride into a cosmetic adjustment rather than an experience built around belonging.
The next stage of the campaign will show whether it can move beyond novelty. As the 2026 World Cup approaches, football supporters will judge new technology by one simple standard: does it bring them closer to the game, or merely give them another image to post?