Why won’t Lionel Messi wear pink boots at 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Lionel Messi will take the field for the second time at the 2026 FIFA World Cup when Argentina face Austria in their Group J match in Dallas on Monday.

The 38-year-old played a starring role in Argentina’s opening round victory and scored his first World Cup hat-trick in the team’s 3-0 victory over Algeria.

However, fans noticed a curious difference in Messi compared to the other players on the pitch.

All players at this World Cup wore pink football boots. Various brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma and Asics have all made football boots in the same color.

The reason for this is based on a study that showed that the contrast of pink with the green-colored football field gives brands the best chance to showcase their product.

However, Adidas did not follow this rule with Messi. For the Argentine talisman, the company designed a special edition boot titled ‘El Ultimo Tango’, which translates to the last dance in English.

These boots are inspired by the boots Messi wore during his first World Cup appearance in 2026.

And that is why people see Messi wearing blue and white colored shoes that stand out from the others.

Published on June 22, 2026