A new collection made with Art of Football [AoF] pays tribute to the brand’s early 2000s football ads. Pepsi has named Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Jr. as its latest global ambassador, following in the path of Ronaldinho, who is also from Brazil and was an inspiration to Vinicius Jr.

There is a long history between Pepsi and football that is full of nostalgia, thanks to more than 20 years of famous football ads. There are a lot of superstars, skills, and cameos in the latest TV ad, “Nutmeg Royale.” For example, it’s a throwback to some of the brand’s most memorable TV ads from the early 2000s, when Beckham, Henry, Totti, Roberto Carlos, and, of course, Ronaldinho would run wild through train stations, mediaeval battlefields, and other places. 

That was 20 years ago, and to honour that time, Pepsi worked with the creative team at Art of Football to make a collection that just so happens to be the best way to introduce Vinicius Jr. as the brand’s new global ambassador.

The Pepsi x [AoF] collection comes after the collection Golden Cabane made with Pepsi last year. The retro-styled items pay homage to Pepsi’s famous football strip from the 2000s, which came out 20 years ago. The collection includes a bucket hat, shoulder bag, and tote that are all co-branded. The collection also includes a new take on Pepsi’s football shirt from the early 2000s.

People who paid close attention might have seen the new shirt in the “Nutmeg Royale” ad, which also showed the famous Ronaldinho back in action. Now, Vincius Jr., one of the most exciting football players in the world, is joining Lionel Messi and another countryman as Pepsi’s newest global brand representative.