The Argentinian superstar chose a special pair of shoes for his farewell to the World Cup.

Those who followed the early days of the 2026 World Cup must have noticed a rather interesting trend: pink football boots were appearing frequently on the pitch, from the big teams to the underdogs. However, Lionel Messi chose a different path.

In the opening match against Algeria in Group J at Kansas City Stadium, the Argentina captain was the only Albiceleste player to wear boots in a different color than the rest of the squad.

For his sixth World Cup, Messi wore boots called “El Último Tango” (The Last Tango), custom-designed by Adidas. This model features a predominantly white color scheme with blue accents inspired by Argentina’s traditional kit, and is further enhanced by gold trim for a particularly luxurious look.

This choice made Messi stand out amidst the “sea of ​​pink boots” that is becoming a trend at the 2026 World Cup.

Messi stood out with his distinctly different shoes, not pink like the other Argentinian players on the field.

In a widely circulated photo before the match, Messi appeared in his white, blue, and yellow “El Último Tango” shoes, while many other players, including German stars, wore bright pink boots.

On the Argentinian side, besides Messi, only goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and striker Flaco Lopez did not wear pink boots. However, Lopez started the match on the bench, meaning Messi was the only player to go against the team’s trend.

During the warm-up before the match against Algeria, the image of the Argentinian players lining up in their striking pink boots against the green grass quickly attracted the attention of fans. It’s no coincidence that pink has become the “national color” of the 2026 World Cup.

Messi’s shoes

Major sports brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma, New Balance, and Skechers have all released special collections for the tournament featuring various shades of pink. This is seen as a marketing strategy to create more distinctive and easily recognizable products on the field.

At the 2026 World Cup, the similarity in color between shoe designs from competing brands is rare. Using vibrant colors helps players feel more confident during matches and increases product recognition. Pink also creates a strong contrast with the green grass, making the shoes easily attract the attention of spectators in the stadium and television viewers. Besides the sporting aspect, this trend is also influenced by the fashion industry.

Amidst a World Cup dominated by shades of pink, Messi chose shoes named “The Last Tango”—a detail that further reinforces the belief that this truly represents the Argentine legend’s farewell to the World Cup stage after more than two decades of conquering the pinnacle of world football.