New Jersey: Argentina’s official English X account has created a buzz on social media after sharing a promotional poster inspired by BTS’ ARIRANG album artwork ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final against Spain. The creative crossover quickly went viral, with fans of both football and K-pop celebrating the unexpected tribute and even calling for a meeting between football legend Lionel Messi and the members of BTS.

The post comes just hours before Argentina take on Spain in the FIFA World Cup final at New Jersey Stadium, where the defending champions will be aiming to retain their title. The unique blend of football and K-pop fandom has added to the excitement surrounding one of the biggest sporting events of the year.

Argentina recreates BTS’ ARIRANG poster

Argentina’s official English-language X account surprised fans by unveiling a graphic that closely resembles the promotional artwork for BTS’ ARIRANG album.

The poster features seven of Argentina’s leading footballers arranged in a layout similar to BTS’ promotional image. Captain Lionel Messi occupies the central position, while Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Paredes, Nico González and Giuliano Simeone complete the formation.

The design also includes bold “ARG” lettering at the bottom, echoing the visual style associated with BTS’ ARIRANG branding.

The striking resemblance was immediately noticed by fans, who praised the social media team’s creativity.

Caption references BTS song

The similarities extended beyond the artwork itself.

Argentina’s social media team captioned the post with the line, “This is international, make it unforgettable,” a lyric from Hooligan, one of the tracks featured on BTS’ ARIRANG album.

The musical reference further delighted BTS fans, many of whom viewed the post as a thoughtful nod to the group’s latest musical era.

Within minutes of being shared, the post attracted widespread engagement across social media platforms, generating thousands of reactions from football supporters and BTS ARMY alike.

ARMY hopes for Messi-BTS interaction

The crossover sparked enthusiastic reactions from fans around the world.

Many BTS ARMY members expressed excitement at seeing two of their biggest passions—football and K-pop—come together.

Several users began calling for a meeting between Lionel Messi and BTS, with one fan writing that they hoped to see a photograph featuring the Argentine captain alongside the globally renowned K-pop group.

Others described the collaboration as the crossover they never expected, while some shared edited images combining Messi with BTS members.

Fans also posted messages of support for Argentina ahead of the World Cup final, celebrating both the football team’s creativity and BTS’ continued global influence.

BTS set for historic FIFA World Cup halftime show

The excitement surrounding the social media post comes as BTS prepare for another historic milestone.

The group is scheduled to co-headline the first-ever Super Bowl-style halftime show at the FIFA World Cup final.

The performance, curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, is also expected to feature international music stars Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber.

The halftime show is expected to begin between 1.25 am and 1.30 am IST on July 20, offering football and music fans an unprecedented entertainment spectacle during the World Cup final.

The performance is expected to be streamed live across multiple broadcast and digital platforms.

Football and K-pop unite on the global stage

The Argentina post highlights the growing influence of K-pop beyond the music industry and demonstrates how football organisations are increasingly engaging younger global audiences through popular culture.

BTS remain one of the world’s most influential music groups, while Lionel Messi continues to be one of football’s biggest global icons.

The combination of Argentina’s World Cup campaign and BTS’ cultural impact created a social media moment that resonated across fan communities worldwide.

With Argentina preparing to face Spain in one of the biggest matches in international football and BTS set to perform during the final’s historic halftime show, the crossover has added another layer of excitement to an already highly anticipated global event.

Whether or not Messi and BTS eventually meet, the Argentina team’s creative tribute has already become one of the most talked-about social media moments leading up to the FIFA World Cup final.