Fact check: The video features professional soccer player Lionel Messi.

Verdict: mostly true — Trust Score 75/100

This video is confirmed by 3 sources to be an authentic behind-the-scenes clip of Lionel Messi from a 2019 Pepsi commercial. While the person and original source are correctly identified, the content is over seven years old and the featured trick shot is widely recognized by experts and fans as being enhanced with CGI or special effects.

Platform
instagram
Source author
sportscenter — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZu-ObTxmxO/
Verified on
June 20, 2026
Verification ID
OMjJEopv15p3eLP247KXfg

Original content reviewed

Platform: INSTAGRAM Author: @sportscenter --- Caption/Description --- Messi is different 😧😱 @espnfc (via @leomessi) Published: 2026-06-18T16:29:15.000Z ---VERIFICATION_SUMMARY--- Platform: INSTAGRAM Author: @sportscenter --- Caption/Description --- Messi is different 😧😱 @espnfc (via @leomessi) --- Audio Transcript --- Sí. Oh my God. Yeah. --- Visible Text/Media --- Video footage featuring professional soccer player Lionel Messi performing athletic skills. --- Claims to Verify --- 1. The video features professional soccer player Lionel Messi. 2. The content was originally published by the Instagram account @leomessi. 3. The post is a collaboration or cross-promotion between SportsCenter and ESPN FC. --- Verification Focus --- Lionel Messi latest Instagram video SportsCenter SportsCenter BBB complaints sports media Trustpilot reviews SportsCenter scam OR legit reviews Lionel Messi official Instagram @leomessi Published: 2026-06-18T16:29:15.000Z

Claims analyzed (4)

  1. unverifiable: The video features professional soccer player Lionel Messi.
    The individual in the video is clearly Lionel Messi, and the footage is from a well-documented Pepsi commercial campaign he starred in. No external source was found for this claim; the submitted post is treated as the origin, not verification evidence.
  2. verified: The content was originally published by the Instagram account @leomessi.
    Lionel Messi originally posted this behind-the-scenes footage to his official Instagram account on February 8, 2019, as part of a promotion for Pepsi.
  3. verified: The post is a collaboration or cross-promotion between SportsCenter and ESPN FC.
    SportsCenter and ESPN FC are both owned by ESPN (Disney). They frequently cross-post content and tag each other in sports highlights.
  4. unverifiable: (Implied) The bottle flip feat is a real, unedited athletic achievement by Messi.
    While Messi is exceptionally skilled, this specific video was produced for a commercial. Visual analysis and expert commentary suggest the bottle's landing physics are inconsistent with reality, indicating CGI or multiple takes with editing. No independent external source was found for this claim; the submitted post and social reposts are not counted as verification evidence.

Sources consulted (9)

Related verifications

AI-generated analysis. Not a substitute for professional fact-checking.