18-year-old FC Barcelona and Spain sensation Lamine Yamal made a high-profile appearance in Pokemon’s Super Bowl commercial last night.
The ad aired during the Super Bowl LX matchup at Levi’s Stadium, where the Seattle Seahawks dominated the New England Patriots with a convincing 29-13 victory
The ad, titled “What’s Your Favorite?”, kicked off the franchise’s yearlong campaign celebrating 30 years of Pokemon.
It featured an impressive lineup of international celebrities sharing their favorite Pokemon.
The star-studded cast included Lady Gaga, comedian Trevor Noah, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc, actress Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko, and Yamal himself.
Fresh off a goal against Mallorca on Saturday and now featuring in a Super Bowl ad (though we are sure this was filmed some time ago), Yamal’s appearance came as a shock for many –
LAMINE YAMAL IN THE SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL??:!?3$:$7 pic.twitter.com/qQPP1wjguB
— mari (@fcmareee) February 9, 2026
Lamine in a Pokemon ad? Wow https://t.co/VvSDDdSd9I
— J. (@JosipFCB93) February 9, 2026
Yamal, often hailed as the heir to Lionel Messi’s throne at Barcelona and Adidas, revealed his favorite as Zygarde, the Legendary Dragon/Ground-type Pokemon known as the “Order Pokemon.”
In the ad, he praised Zygarde for its strength and adaptability, noting that it “has many ways to overcome his opponents”, a fitting parallel to Yamal’s own style.
Pokemon nerds embraced Yamal’s choice as Zygarde stands out as one of the franchise’s most intriguing Legendaries. Pokemon fans loved this non-generic pick from Yamal –
Unsurprising that the Pokemon 30th anniversary commercial was a lot of famous people not knowing any Pokemon beyond gen 1. But props to the two people whose favorites were Luxray and Zygarde.
— Larry Matovina (@larrymatovina) February 9, 2026
Not some lame Kanto pick, we up. https://t.co/5OcHRBcCpO pic.twitter.com/XreNVamIOa
— Sim 🇸🇮 #IslamDoubleChamp (@Ereh_X_Freedom) February 9, 2026
Pour one out for the millions of zillenials that now have to explain what “Zygarde 100%” is to their family pic.twitter.com/sWPf5vMTsq
— BobbyWasabi (@BobbyWasabi) February 9, 2026
At just 18, Yamal’s inclusion signals his transformation from wonderkid to marketable superstar, securing major deals and now aligning with Pokemon’s massive audience. From La Masia to the Super Bowl spotlight, he’s proving he’s more than a footballer.
