Best Foreign Sports Commercials on YouTube

Sometimes, as Americans, we don’t get a chance to see some of the best foreign sports commercials out there. No worries—that’s what YouTube is for.   

Some of these great commercials are old, and some are new. A few are promotions for international events like the World Cup, and others are ads for big brands like Budweiser and Chevrolet. There’s even a magical throwback to Atari video games in here. 

Brands are smart to use foreign athletes to endorse products in their home countries—Pau Gasol in Spain, for example. They’re also smart to take advantage of American athletes with international popularity—Kobe Bryant is big in China, in case you hadn’t heard. 

Regardless of the advertising strategy, these are all fun to watch in their own way. Enjoy.

Juggling Squirrel

What is better than a squirrel juggling an acorn like a soccer ball? 

Well, probably a lot of things, but this ad for the European sports drink from Carlsberg is pretty cute.

McDonald’s Cancha

In 2013, McDonald’s released a spot called “Cancha” that featured a group of guys playing a nighttime pickup soccer game. 

Hispanic advertising agency Alma was behind this great spot aimed at promoting camaraderie. According to Alma’s press materials, Marlena Peleo-Lazar, chief creative officer at McDonald’s USA, said: "Here at McDonald’s we believe in great storytelling, and when Alma brought forward this idea we were very excited to tell this story of teamwork and solidarity in a way that captures McDonald’s as a universal cultural attractor."

Ricky Rubio NBA 2K15

A new international ad for NBA 2K15 features Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio playing the game as himself. 

He’s getting crushed at first but eventually gets it together. His solo couch celebration is pretty great—who can't relate to that?

Sprite China

Putting an international sports star (Kobe Bryant) together with a Taiwanese pop star (Jay Chou) is a great way to sell soda in China.   

At least that’s what Sprite China had in mind when it featured the two celebrities in a 2011 marketing campaign.

Little Soccer Sub

This spot for the United Kingdom’s Child Trust Funds smartly incorporated both soccer and cuteness into the theme. 

With the tagline, “You never know what your child will become,” a young toddler is depicted as a substitute in a professional match. Adorable.

FIBA World Cup Promo

The FIBA World Cup doesn’t get quite the hype that, say, the FIFA one does. But that doesn’t mean this promo video for the 2014 basketball edition isn’t well-done. 

Stars, highlights, intense musical backdrop—it has it all.

Manu Ginobili, Gatorade

If you’re into being creeped out, this is a great international ad. 

In this Gatorade spot, Manu Ginobili is presumably having a nightmare about playing one-on-one with a massive scary guy in a dark room filled with chains hanging from the ceiling. 

He schools the guy, of course, sips a much-needed Gatorade and wakes up from the nightmare.

The Game Before the Game

This international ad for Beats by Dre was released prior to the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The background music is “Jungle” by Jamie N Commons and X Ambassadors. 

Brazil’s Neymar is featured prominently, speaking in his native language and going through his pregame warm-up routine. 

With other international stars like Cesc Fabregas, Luis Suarez and Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez making appearances, this is a powerful ad directed at a worldwide audience.  

Disney and Fanta

If you’re looking for a part-weird, part-crazy blast from the past, this is it.

According to TheThiefArchive on YouTube, this Spanish-language commercial is from the 1980s. Anything that combines Disney characters, soccer and Fanta is awesome. Bizarre and ridiculous, yes, but also awesome.

Rafael Nadal and Pau Gasol

This ad for Time Force watches doesn’t just throw two Spanish sports stars at you and call it a day—it manages to be funny, too. 

Pau Gasol and Rafael Nadal are asked to pass the “William Tell test” (you know, the guy who shot an apple off a kid’s head with an arrow). 

Rafa nails it, successfully knocking a basketball off Gasol’s head with a tennis ball. When the roles are reversed, Rafa is not so lucky. 

Chevrolet, World Cup

Chevrolet ran this Spanish-language ad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Entitled, “Yo Juego,” it’s a great compilation of people, young and old, all talking about why they play soccer.

Atari 2600

This old-school Latin American commercial for Atari video games is awesome for several reasons: 

1. It stars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mario Andretti and Pele. Not bad.
2. They’re all wearing their respective uniforms.
3. It’s vintage. The Atari 2600 was released in 1977.
4. Look at all the games you can play with a joystick!

Budweiser Futbol Kings

This is another great soccer ad, this time for Budweiser, called “Futbol Kings.” 

It’s basically just a bunch of dudes in red jerseys doing awesome things with soccer balls, but who doesn’t love that? 

At the end (near the 1:20 mark), three of the guys pull off a pretty sweet trick involving a can of Budweiser. Everyone is happy.

Turkish Airlines

Once again, people realize that Kobe Bryant is international marketing gold. 

This time, Turkish Airlines enlisted both him and Lionel Messi. The clever ad pits the two stars against each other as they compete for the attention of a young flight passenger.

This selfie battle one is pretty boss too.

Soccer Smell

What’s that smell? Advertising hilarity, that’s what. 

This ad for Fox Sports Espanol doesn’t need dialogue to convey an age-old problem facing couples all over the world—men who love sports so much that they become difficult to live with.