Video: Richard Swarbrick’s stunning Lionel Messi animation

Seconds after Lionel Messi was awarded his fourth consecutive Ballon d’Or, adidas reacted with a purpose-made film by artist Richard Swarbrick.

An entirely gold-painted animation, featuring a Messi goal from 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the film celebrates Messi’s four “golden years of majestic, thrilling, balletic football”.

Swarbrick, the artist entrusted with the challenge, acknowledges having the chance to paint Messi in gold has been an “absolute joy”, but not without “a few sleepless nights.”

He paints every single frame by hand, before using ‘Photoshop’ and ‘After Effects’ to animate.

He added: “We wanted to make sure we reacted to the news faster than anyone else but with something quality that we can all be proud of.”