Football icon Lionel Messi has found himself at the centre of a viral internet debate after making a surprise appearance in a promotional teaser for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The 40-second clip, featuring Messi alongside Tom Holland's Peter Parker, quickly grabbed the attention of both football and Marvel fans. However, what sparked even more discussion was a viral claim suggesting that Messi earned a staggering 15 million USD for the cameo roughly 3 million USD per spoken word.

Lionel Messi's paycheck for Spider-Man goes viral

In the teaser, Messi enters a cafe searching for Spider-Man before crossing paths with Peter Parker. After a brief exchange, Spider-Man takes the Argentine legend on a web-swinging adventure across New York City. The crossover was released as part of Sony Pictures' promotional campaign ahead of the film's theatrical release later this month and has already become one of the most talked-about marketing collaborations of the year.