Nike is decorating Russia's 'korobka' cages for the World Cup

Nike doesn't sponsor the World Cup officially, but it's making its presence felt in Russia as the World Cup kicks off by celebrating the spirit of the "korobka" -- the soccer cage where most Russian kids learn how to play the beautiful game.

As part of a campaign by Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam, it's painted 240 murals of between two and 16-metres on Moscow korobkas, with each OOH piece a scene of a Russian athlete dominating the game. These murals were then stitched into a film, seen here, that tells the story of a young soccer player with big dreams for the future.

The brand also made a trio of short films, taglined "Never ask," profiling three Russian athletes whose determination has helped them overcome obstacles in their careers. They are blind runner Elena Fedoseeva, who was told she would never be able to compete in races; Aleksandr Maltsev, the first and only professional synchronized swimmer in Russia; and Fyodor Smolov, a soccer player who fought his way from a bench-warmer to the leading scorer of the country. David Wilson of Riff Raff films directed the spots.