Más+ by Messi named official hydration partner of Argentina national football team ahead of FIFA 2026 rollout

In a defining intersection of elite sports performance, brand-building, and national legacy, Más+ by Messi, the next-generation hydration beverage created in partnership with global soccer icon Lionel Messi, has been named the Official Hydration Partner of the Argentina National Football Teams. The announcement, made on June 26, 2025, by Mark Anthony Brands International and the Argentine Football Association (AFA), represents a landmark strategic alliance aimed at reinforcing athletic excellence while expanding the global reach of a functional beverage brand launched just months earlier.

This development arrives at a critical juncture: Argentina’s men’s team, reigning FIFA World Cup champions, is preparing to defend its title in the 2026 tournament to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. At the same time, Más+ by Messi is entering new global markets with the ambition of becoming the hydration solution of choice for both athletes and health-conscious consumers.

Although Mark Anthony Brands International is privately held and not listed on public exchanges, the move bears signals typically watched closely by market analysts and institutional buyers in adjacent categories—particularly functional beverages, sports marketing, and athlete-led consumer brands. It represents a noteworthy benchmark for category evolution and investor interest in athlete-backed ventures.

What Makes Más+ by Messi a Compelling Player in the Hydration Beverage Sector?

Launched in 2024 by Mark Anthony Brands International, the company behind category leaders like White Claw Hard Seltzer, Más+ by Messi is positioned as a hypotonic hydration drink, combining performance science with consumer transparency. Each 16.9-ounce bottle contains only 10 calories, no artificial sweeteners, colors, or caffeine, and is enriched with four electrolytes and six vitamins—a formulation designed to meet the demands of professional athletes and health-focused consumers alike.

Unlike traditional isotonic beverages, which aim to match the body’s natural osmotic balance, hypotonic drinks are engineered for faster absorption of fluids and nutrients. This quality makes Más+ by Messi an optimal choice for elite endurance athletes, particularly during training or match recovery.

As performance nutrition becomes an increasingly data-driven and personalized field, beverages like Más+ are carving out new subcategories within the $30 billion global sports drink market. By offering efficacy, taste, and clean-label ingredients, the product meets evolving consumer preferences, particularly among Gen Z and millennial demographics seeking functional wellness solutions.

The decision by AFA to adopt Más+ across its men’s, women’s, youth, futsal, and beach football teams reflects a shared commitment to high-performance outcomes. The move also echoes recent broader sports-sector trends, where science-backed wellness partnerships are rapidly replacing legacy contracts driven primarily by commercial exposure.

How Does the Partnership Reinforce Lionel Messi’s Brand Equity?

Beyond the hydration benefits and functional innovation, the branding move is deeply personal. Argentina is Lionel Messi’s footballing birthplace—a nation where his career journey began with youth squads and culminated in World Cup glory in 2022. The partnership between AFA and Más+ by Messi represents a homecoming not just for the player, but for the ethos he now stands for: champion-level preparation, discipline, and wellness.

Rather than a standard endorsement deal, this initiative embodies Messi’s direct connection to product development and brand vision. By putting his name on the bottle and aligning it with Argentina’s national identity, Messi leverages a unique form of cultural capital—one that carries resonance across Latin America, Europe, North America, and beyond.

At the strategic level, the partnership enables Messi to build long-term equity in a business vertical far beyond his playing years. As athlete-entrepreneurship becomes more sophisticated—with stars like LeBron James, Naomi Osaka, and Serena Williams investing in health and tech ventures—Más+ by Messi serves as a case study in how sports icons can align their personal narratives with emerging consumer categories.

What Are the Terms and Market Implications of the Collaboration?

The partnership between Mark Anthony Brands International and AFA includes product integration across all training facilities and kits, including towels, coolers, water bottles, and branded signage during camps and sessions across North America, Europe, and Australia. The activation also spans fan engagement initiatives: signed jersey giveaways, ticket contests, and “money-can’t-buy experiences” tied to Argentina’s match schedules.

From a commercial licensing and merchandising standpoint, this provides Más+ by Messi with a guaranteed touchpoint across several geographies, strengthening its launch strategy in tier-one markets where sports performance beverages face stiff competition from legacy giants like Gatorade (PepsiCo, NASDAQ: PEP) and Powerade (The Coca-Cola Company, NYSE: KO).

Importantly, the partnership provides a real-world proof of concept: if elite footballers competing on the world stage use the beverage during rigorous match preparation, that message can easily cascade to both amateur athletes and everyday consumers. This real-time product demonstration is a form of experiential marketing that traditional advertising cannot replicate.

Though not publicly traded, Mark Anthony Brands’ decision to lean into a celebrity-led hydration strategy has caught the attention of industry analysts. Several experts note that this move could catalyze M&A interest from larger beverage conglomerates seeking premium hydration assets that appeal to younger, health-conscious consumer segments.

What Broader Industry Trends Does This Partnership Reflect?

The Más+ by Messi deal is emblematic of several converging macro trends in global sports and health marketing. First is the rise of athlete-led brands, with athletes moving beyond sponsorship roles into equity partnerships and product development. Messi’s direct involvement gives the product authenticity that resonates with fans fatigued by superficial endorsements.

Second is the growth of the functional beverage sector, which has seen increasing investor interest over the past five years. According to Grand View Research, the global functional beverage market is expected to surpass $200 billion by 2030, driven by demand for clean-label, performance-oriented, and health-optimizing formulations.

Third, it underscores the strategic recalibration underway in sports federations like the AFA, which are seeking diversified revenue streams and consumer engagement beyond broadcast deals. Collaborations like this offer intimate access to fan bases, enhancing emotional affinity and merchandising opportunities while fueling wellness narratives that align with modern values.

What Were the Initial Reactions From Stakeholders and Market Observers?

While the agreement does not directly impact stock markets, sentiment across institutional and sports marketing circles has been overwhelmingly positive. Analysts tracking sports-adjacent consumer brands describe the partnership as “market validating” for the Más+ strategy and “value accretive” for Argentina’s global positioning ahead of FIFA 2026.

Andy Hawkswell, Senior Director of Global Partnerships at Mark Anthony Brands International, noted the strategic fit: “Más+ by Messi is native to soccer culture, and this partnership enables us to showcase to the world that they too can hydrate like a champion to reach their goals—on or off the pitch.”

From AFA’s side, Leandro Petersen, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, emphasized alignment with long-term growth strategy: “This partnership not only enhances our presence in one of the world’s most vibrant football markets but also aligns perfectly with our vision to connect with fans through meaningful and engaging collaborations.”

The launch event, held in Miami on June 15, brought together legends of Argentina’s football history, social media influencers, and performance science experts, reinforcing the multi-dimensional scope of the campaign.

What Can Consumers and Stakeholders Expect Next?

As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup intensifies, expect Más+ by Messi to play an increasingly visible role in training camps, press interactions, and matchday logistics for Argentina. The fan engagement layer—especially experiential sweepstakes and athlete content activations—will likely expand through social platforms and retail partnerships in key global markets.

Additionally, if early brand momentum continues, analysts expect vertical expansion into adjacent categories such as hydration powders, sports chews, and potentially even prebiotic or adaptogen-enhanced products, following the functional wellness arc seen across recent CPG launches.

While no M&A activity has been announced, sector watchers note that functional hydration is becoming a high-priority acquisition target for both legacy beverage players and private equity investors. Given Mark Anthony Brands’ track record with high-velocity product launches, Más+ may eventually become a candidate for joint ventures, licensing, or international distribution agreements in the next 18–24 months.

As Lionel Messi’s legacy continues to evolve off the field, the Más+ by Messi partnership with Argentina’s National Football Teams proves that athletic greatness can translate seamlessly into product innovation and market disruption. For now, as Argentina prepares to defend its global crown, both team and brand are united in a singular mission: to hydrate like champions—and inspire the world while doing it.