Cristiano Ronaldo Swaps Bodies With a Young Fan in Nike Soccer Film

W&K and Ringan Ledwidge Worked on Nike Football's Longest-Ever Ad

Published On
Jun 09, 2016

Editor's Pick

Nike has debuted the longest-ever brand film for Nike Football, a star-studded effort in which soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo gives a bravura acting performance as a young fan is transported into his body.

The six-minute film, "The Switch," was created by Wieden & Kennedy and directed by Rattling Stick's Ringan Ledwidge (whose previous Nike work includes Winner Stays). It tells what happens when Ronaldo collides with a ball boy at a match, and the two somehow swap bodies, in the long-running tradition of movies like "Big" or "Freaky Friday."

Next morning, a bewildered Ronaldo wakes up as a teenage boy in a terraced British house, with his mom driving him off to play soccer in a playground. Meanwhile the boy, Charlie Lee (played by 16-year-old newcomer Gerson Correia Adua), wakes up to a luxury mansion, a supercar, and a training session as Ronaldo. After some comedic moments, both rise to the challenge of their new lives -- which include learning Portuguese and learning to drive -- until there's an opportune moment for them to meet again.

According to Nike, "The Switch" is the most extensive brand shoot Ronaldo has ever done, for any company, requiring five days of filming. What's more, Ronaldo performed his own stunts in the initial collision scene, which was done in just three takes.

We reckon his acting could give fellow soccer great David Beckham (whose repertoire has improved considerably in recent ads) a run for his money, should he ever turn to performing. The film, meanwhile, is an entertaining effort that will appeal to soccer fans of all ages.

Credits

Date
Jun 09, 2016
Brand :
Nike
Client :
Nike
Agency :
Wieden & Kennedy-Portland
Director :
Ringan Ledwidge
Production Company :
Rattling Stick
Client Contact :
Jesse Gordon Long
Client Contact :
Steven Strand
Creative Director :
Chris Groom
Creative Director :
Stuart Brown
Copywriter :
Dylan Lee
Art Director :
Pedro Izique
Senior Producer :
Scott Kaplan
Senior Producer :
Ross Plummer
Executive Producer :
Matt Hunnicutt
Agency Post Production Producer :
Jen Milano
Strategic Planning :
Henry Lambert
Strategic Planning :
Zack Kaplan
Media/Comms Planning :
Alex Dobson
Account Team :
Shinya Kamata
Account Team :
Luiza Prata Carvalho
Account Team :
Alyssa Ramsey
Account Team :
Karelle Dixon
Business Affairs :
Amber Lavender
Studio Design :
Matt Blum
Studio Design :
Randall Garcia
Studio Design :
Jessica Raddatz
Executive Producer :
Joe Biggins
Line Producer :
Sally Humphries
Head of Production :
Richard McIntosh
Director, Photography :
Matthew Libatique
Editorial Company :
Work
Editor :
Richard Orrick
Assistant Editor :
Ben Corfield
Executive Producer :
Marlo Baird
Post Producer :
Brandee Probasco
Visual Effects Company :
The Mill
Head of Production :
Dan Roberts
Producer :
Anastasia Von Rahl
Associate Producer :
Karina Slater
Coordinator :
Samantha Hernandez
Production Assistant :
Sardor Kaziyev
Shoot Supervisor :
Phil Crowe
Shoot Supervisor :
John Shirley
1st Assistant Director :
Robert Sethi
Creative Director :
Phil Crowe
2D Lead Artist :
John Shirley
3D Lead Artist :
Chris Baylor
2D Artist :
Tim Davies
2D Artist :
Robin McGloin
2D Artist :
Brad Scott
2D Artist :
Daniel Thuresson
2D Artist :
Martin Karlsson
2D Artist :
Greg VanZyl
2D Artist :
Brett Lopinsky
2D Artist :
Alex Candlish
2D Artist :
Gareth Parr
2D Artist :
Ed Laag
2D Artist :
Scott Johnson
2D Artist :
Tim Robbins
2D Artist :
Remedy Huynh
2D Artist :
Becky Porter
2D Artist :
James Allen
2D Artist :
Nicholas Tayler
2D Artist :
Elliot Brennan
2D Artist :
Don Kim
3D Artist :
Blake Sullivan
3D Artist :
Matt Bohnert
3D Artist :
Annie Zhao
3D Artist :
Bridget Warrington
3D Artist :
Charles Storniolo
3D Artist :
Jason Monroe
3D Artist :
Mike Di Nocco
3D Artist :
Monique Espinoza
3D Artist :
Odel Palmer
3D Artist :
Pedro Ignacio Gegundez Vicente
3D Artist :
Tamara Garabedian
3D Artist :
Cory Cosper
3D Artist :
Patrick Warner
3D Artist :
Terry Ziegelman
3D Artist :
Ziming Liu
3D Artist :
Dan Warom
Tracking :
Jason Janksy
Tracking :
Michael Lori
Tracking :
Jenna Kind
Tracking :
Martin Rivera
Tracking :
Steven Olson
Tracking :
Samantha Pedregon
Tracking :
Katie Yancey
Art Support :
Gary Marschka
Art Support :
Dylan Streiff
Matte Painting :
Andy Wheater
Design Support :
Patrick Kipper
Design Artist :
Greg Park
Design Artist :
Justin Sucara
Design Artist :
Viraj Ajmeri
Design Artist :
Aime Graham
Design Artist :
Clare Carrellas
Design Artist :
Andrew Proctor
Design Artist :
Manija Emran
Editorial Assistant :
Natalie Wozniak
Colorist :
The Mill - LA
Executive Producer :
Thatcher Peterson
Color Producer :
Diane Valera
Color Coordinator :
Jackson Rogers
Producer Assistant :
Sam Ziaie
Producer Assistant :
Ryan Crane
Producer Assistant :
Benton Africano
Producer Assistant :
Asa Fox
Production Company :
The Mill - London
Executive Producer :
Gemma Humphries
Workshare Producer :
Alexandra Paton
Production Assistant :
George Reid
Shoot Supervisor :
Andrew Wood
Shoot Supervisor :
Hitesh Patel
Head of Operations :
Tom Walter
2D Lead :
Grant Connor
3D Lead Artist :
Adam Droy
2D Artist :
Ben Turner
2D Artist :
Dan Williams
2D Artist :
Gianluca Di Marco
2D Artist :
Courtney Pryce
2D Artist :
Adam Fenwick
2D Artist :
Alex Snookes
2D Artist :
Ahmed El-Azma
2D Artist :
Soledad Martin
2D Artist :
Rebecca Clay
3D Artist :
Edward Hicks
3D Artist :
Anthony Northman
3D Artist :
Philip Maddock
3D Artist :
Hugo Jackson
3D Artist :
Jacob Gonzales
3D Artist :
Andrew Bartholomew
3D Artist :
Will Burdett
3D Artist :
Finlay Crowther
Music Label :
Counter Records
Music Label :
Ninja Tune
Partner, Creative Director :
David O'Bryan
Arranger :
Tom Belton
Arrangement :
The Heavy
Artist :
The Heavy
Song :
Turn Up
Mix Company :
Technicolor
Mixer and Sound Designer :
Julian Slater
Re-Recording Mixer :
Luke Schwarzweller
Trailer Production Company :
AV Squad
Editor :
Keenan Kelly
Producer :
Nick Shakarian
Creative Director :
Jordan Hayman
Copywriter :
Dylan Lee
Art Director :
Pedro Izique
Producer :
Keith Rice
Media/Comms Planning :
Geoff Scoones
Motion Producer :
Toby Herbst
Art Producer :
Krystle Mortimore
Photographer :
William Cooper Mitchell

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