Lionel Messi Promotes ChatGPT Chess Strategy to 517 Million Instagram Followers
Lionel Messi shared a chess-themed advertisement for ChatGPT with his 517 million Instagram followers, featuring a video of the Argentine star asking for move-by-move chess instructions. Within hours of publication, the video accumulated over one million likes and 13,000 comments, chess.com reported.
The Launch of the “Goat Horns” Chess Opening
The post’s caption explains that Messi asked ChatGPT to teach him a chess opening tailored to his style, resulting in a recommendation named “Goat Horns.” The name plays on the “GOAT” acronym frequently associated with Messi, though chess.com notes that the specific moves recommended for the black pieces—1.e4 a6 2.d4 c6—are unlikely to be approved by the best players. While “Goat Horns” is not an official chess opening, its introduction to a massive digital audience instantly elevates its visibility.
Integration with OpenAI Features and Prior Campaigns
This promotional spot arrives two weeks after OpenAI launched its Intelligent UI, designed to deliver more visual and interactive responses. It also follows a prior collaboration between Messi and OpenAI ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the player used ChatGPT to imagine himself with the albiceleste colors of Argentina’s hair.
The campaign places Messi back into high-profile chess marketing contexts. In November 2022, just before the Qatar World Cup, he appeared alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in a Louis Vuitton campaign photographed by Annie Leibovitz, which featured a position from a 2017 match between Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura.
Sports and Fashion Brands Use Chess Marketing
Messi’s post coincided with a broader wave of sports and fashion chess marketing. A day prior, FC Bayern Munich used a chess theme on X to promote a Champions League match against Arsenal, placing striker Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka on opposite sides of a board. Meanwhile, Louis Vuitton continued its own chess-themed promotions on October 14, 2026, featuring House Callum Turner in a trunk edition campaign by Pharrell.
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