Nike Football Gears Up for EURO 2016 with its Biggest Brand Film Ever

Nike Football has today launched ‘The Switch’, a new six-minute film starring Cristiano Ronaldo and 16 other professional footballers. It is the longest brand Nike Football has ever produced. 

Released in anticipation of the upcoming EURO 2016 championship, which starts tomorrow, ‘The Switch’ was created by Wieden+Kennedy and directed by Rattling Stick’s Ringan Ledwidge, who also helmed 2014 ‘Winner Stays’ (check out an interview LBB did with Ringan on that spot here). The cinematographer was Matthew Libatique, who is renowned for his film work on ‘Black Swan’, ‘Straight Outta Compton’ and ‘Iron Man’.

The film tells the story of a nasty collision between Portuguese Ronaldo and a young English ball-boy during a match between the two nations. The bash of heads leaves the pair with switched personalities and abilities, thus rendering Ronaldo a shade of his former self and giving the young boy almost otherworldly skills. 

Ronaldo marked his most extensive shoot for any brand with ‘The Switch’, which required five days of filming. He performed his own stunts in the collision scene and reportedly took only three takes to nail it. 

The other players that feature are Raheem Sterling, Joe Hart, Harry Kane, Chris Smalling, John Stones, Ross Barkley, Megan Rapinoe, Ricardo Quaresma, Andre Gomes, Jose Fonte, Cedric Soares, Vieirinha, Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial, Sergi Roberto and Javier Mascherano.

UK football commentator Jim Proudfoot also makes a cameo.