Overview
EE wanted to use the FIFA World Cup 2026 as a cultural moment to spark a broader conversation around the pressures boys face today, both on and off the pitch.
The challenge was to create a social-first campaign that felt rooted in football while addressing wider themes including confidence, role models, online behaviour, resilience and support.
The Insight
Football doesn't just shape players.
It shapes boys.
From grassroots teams to the international stage, young men are constantly navigating pressure, criticism, confidence and expectations. The World Cup provided an opportunity to explore these themes through the lens of football.
Role
Lead creative, content creator across campaign and agency/stakeholder management.
work stream: Touchline Talks
Conversations with England players and managers exploring:
pressure, confidence, role models, early memories, supporting young boys.
Rather than formal interviews, these were designed as more natural football-first conversations.
Players also reacted to childhood photos, using humour and nostalgia to explore themes of confidence, support and the people who helped shape their journey.
We then shot A social-first series of videos where players reflected on the coaches and moments that shaped their journey, exploring themes of confidence, support and resilience through authentic storytelling.
To balance the more reflective content, we also created lighter social formats such as a UK vs US slang challenge, allowing players' personalities and competitive sides to come through in a fun, World Cup-themed way.
all of this was created with limited access to players during camp, we developed a mix of interview-led and social-first formats designed to maximise every filming opportunity while bringing the campaign themes to life.
