José +10 The Impossible Team - Adidas

In 2006, Adidas released José +10, a commercial that quickly became one of the most iconic pieces of football advertising. Part of the global “Impossible is Nothing” campaign, the film follows two Spanish boys, José and Pedro, who chalk out their own football pitch and pick players for a dream match. To their amazement, global legends magically appear - turning a childhood fantasy into a spectacular game.

According to Andy Fackrell, co-executive creative director at 180 Amsterdam, the concept came straight from lived experience: “The adidas commercial is based on our own childhood memory… We used to run outside, recreate our own teams. We tried to make every little kid’s dream come alive.”

The campaign ran as two 60-second films - “Equipo” (The Team), where the players materialize, and “Partido” (The Match), where the dream game unfolds.

One of the most memorable visuals is the surreal pitch, where players can only run along white chalk lines suspended in mid-air. Step off, and they fall into a void. This striking effect amplified the dreamlike, impossible quality of the match - while keeping the focus on play, imagination, and teamwork.

The ad’s details continue to resonate. Frank Lampard’s crossbar goal, for example, later echoed his infamous disallowed World Cup strike in 2010, creating a sense of prophetic nostalgia. The ending - José’s mother calling him home - captured the universal experience of childhood playtime ending all too soon.

Fans around the world still speak fondly of the spot. As one put it: “They captured the essence of being a kid having athletes as your heroes and letting your imagination run wild.”

Shot in Barcelona’s Plaça Josep Maria Folch i Torres, the commercial has become a touchstone in sports advertising. It wasn’t just about selling boots or jerseys - it was about reconnecting adults to the feeling of being a kid on the street, dreaming of impossible games.

This commercial is celebrated as one of the best football ads ever and nearly two decades later, José +10 endures as a celebration of imagination, football, and the power of play.