Cloak-Clad Zidane Stalks the Barcelona Spark

Dressed like a refugee from the Slytherin arm of Hogwarts, ex-French soccer captain Zinedine Zidane pursues the truth about Barcelona player Lionel Messi, who "runs like sparks fly, like flint on stone."

Zidane melodramatically narrates the tale while brandishing a lighter, which he eventually passes to another shadow-shrouded man -- his Jedi master? -- after failing, albeit in his first attempt, to verify whether the "legend" is true: that Messi's talents are the result of a nasty childhood accident involving dislodged telephone pole wire and electrical shock.

(*shakes head, bemused*)

The spot debuted Wednesday during the Champions League final between Manchester U and Barcelona. It was put together by 180 Amsterdam and is supported by an Adidas subsite that plugs Zidane's closing conviction: "Every team needs The Spark." The site will recount part one of Zidane's quest to find the root of Messi's magics.

This campaign also extends to Facebook, where enthusiastic fans can read blog posts with heavy titles like "Every Team Needs > A Roman Emporer."

"To the football audience, a big TV spot is only a moment long," SVP-Brand Marketing Eric Liedtke of Adidas acknowledged.

"But an intriguing series of films, clues, product previews and digital tools can sustain this consumer and entice them to engage with our product and brand and put us in their consideration set for purchase."

Cheesy premise aside, it's still a semi-cool piece. Only time will tell, though, whether European soccer lovers think so.