People usually roll their eyes when a musician tries to design sports gear. It feels like a cash grab. A marketing gimmick. But when you look at the messi and bad bunny cleats, something feels different. Maybe it’s because Lionel Messi doesn’t just put his name on any old junk. Or maybe it’s because Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—the man we know as Bad Bunny—is actually obsessed with the details.
Whatever it is, the "La Voz De Los Fans" collection dropped a bomb on the sneaker world. It wasn't just a shoe; it was a crossover that shouldn’t have worked but did. You’ve got the greatest soccer player to ever touch a pitch and the biggest artist on the planet sharing a tongue. Literally. The "messi para bad bunny" text on the cleats is a nod to a level of mutual respect we rarely see in these high-level corporate partnerships.
The F50 Breakthrough: Not Your Average Boot
The centerpiece of this whole thing is the Adidas F50 Messi x Bad Bunny Elite. If you’ve played soccer, you know the F50. It’s the speed boot. The featherweight.
The colorway is called "Cardboard." Sounds boring? It’s not. It’s this rich, earthy tan that looks more like a high-end leather bag than a piece of athletic equipment. They used a "HybridTouch" upper, which is basically a fancy way of saying it feels like leather but behaves like a synthetic. It stays light even when the grass is soaking wet.
Why These Cleats Look Different
- The Signatures: Look at the Three Stripes. You’ll see "Benito" and "Leo" scrawled right across them. It looks like they signed the shoes with a Sharpie right before you bought them.
- The Teal Accents: There’s this "Bright Cyan" popping off the heel and the studs. It’s a direct reference to the Argentinian flag, but it also mirrors the vibrant colors Bad Bunny used in his "San Juan" Gazelle releases.
- The Soleplate: It has an iridescent, shimmering finish. When you’re sprinting, it catches the light. It’s flashy, sure, but Messi has earned the right to be a little flashy.
Honestly, the tech is top-tier. The Sprintframe 360 isn’t just marketing fluff; it’s designed for those "how did he do that?" cuts that Messi is famous for. Most people who bought these probably won't even wear them on a pitch. They'll sit on a shelf. But for the ones who do, the grip on firm ground is actually insane.
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The Connection Between Two GOATs
How did this even happen? Adidas has been the bridge. Messi has been a Three Stripes guy since 2006. Bad Bunny signed on in 2021 and basically saved the brand's lifestyle wing with his Forums and Gazelles.
But it’s deeper than just a contract. Messi actually listens to Bad Bunny. He’s said in interviews that Benito’s tracks are all over his pre-game playlists. And Bad Bunny? He’s been name-dropping Messi in his lyrics for years. On his Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana album, he mentioned Messi five separate times.
That’s why the messi and bad bunny cleats feel authentic. It’s two Latin icons acknowledging that they are at the absolute peak of their respective mountains.
Small Details Most People Miss
The heel features an "X" stitch. Most people think it’s just a cool design. It’s actually a reference to Messi’s number 10. It’s subtle. It’s also a structural nod to how the Gazelle (the lifestyle shoe in the collection) was originally reinforced.
And let’s talk about the "burrito" tongue. It’s a specific design choice Messi has requested for years. It wraps over the top of the foot to give a wider, more personalized fit. Most F50s have a standard construction, but this collab uses the "Messi-spec" build. If you have wider feet, these are actually way more comfortable than the standard Elite models.
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Real Talk: The Price and the Hype
Let's be real for a second. These weren't cheap. The F50 version launched at $300. The Gazelle Indoor—the street version—was $180.
Because it was a limited drop on the Adidas CONFIRMED app back in late 2024, the secondary market has been wild. If you're looking for a pair in 2026, expect to pay a premium. Collectors are holding onto these because they represent a very specific moment in time when sports and reggaeton completely fused.
Is it still a "performance" shoe?
Kinda. It’s an Elite-level boot. It has the same weight and traction as the cleats worn in the Champions League. But the "Cardboard" material is a bit more delicate than the standard plastic-feeling uppers. If you play on a muddy, rocky field, you’re going to ruin a $300 piece of art.
Most serious players are opting for the standard "Triunfo Estelar" colorway for daily training and saving the messi and bad bunny cleats for game days or, more likely, the trophy case.
What's Next for the Collab?
Since this release, we've seen Bad Bunny move into other areas with Adidas, like the "BadBo 1.0" and even collaborations with the Mercedes-AMG F1 team. But the Messi link-up remains the gold standard. It set a blueprint.
You can’t just slap a rapper’s name on a sneaker and call it a day anymore. You need the "signatures on the stripes" level of detail. You need the handwritten letters in the marketing campaign. You need a reason for it to exist.
If you are looking to grab a pair now, your best bet is specialized resale sites like GOAT or StockX. Just be careful with the sizing. The F50 runs very true to size, almost snug. If you’re used to loose sneakers, you might want to half-size up, especially with that burrito tongue.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check Authenticity: If buying from a reseller, ensure the "messi para bad bunny" text on the tongue is embossed, not just printed.
- Verify the Box: The original box is a "Cardboard" color that matches the shoes and should include two sets of insoles (SL for speed and Comfort for cushioning).
- Size Carefully: If you plan to play in them, get your exact soccer boot size; if they’re for display, it doesn’t matter as much, but the resale value is highest in sizes 9-11.
The hype might die down, but the impact of these cleats won't. It changed the way we think about who gets to design a soccer boot.