Bronny James flexes soccer skills ahead of World Cup final

Bronny James, the Los Angeles Lakers rookie, has turned heads by posting a short video of his soccer skills less than 24 hours before the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and France.

What happened?

On the evening of 18 July 2026, Bronny James shared a 30-second clip on his social channels showing him dribbling past cones, striking a curling shot into the top corner, and juggling a ball for nearly a minute. The video was captioned “World Cup vibes,” and it dropped just as the tournament’s biggest match loomed. Within two hours, the clip had racked up more than 1.2 million views and thousands of shares across X and Instagram.

Why it matters for Bronny James

The 20-year-old guard is still carving out his role with the Lakers after being drafted 55th overall in 2025, yet his off-court moment has reminded fans he grew up playing multiple sports. His father, LeBron James, has long praised Bronny’s athleticism across basketball, football, and track. The timing-hours before the World Cup final-turned a routine training clip into a viral crossover moment that bridges two global sports.

What comes next?

Bronny is scheduled to join the Lakers’ summer league squad in Las Vegas on 22 July 2026 for his first on-court action since the NBA draft. Meanwhile, the World Cup final kicks off in Berlin at 19:00 local time on 19 July 2026, with Argentina facing France in a rematch of the 2022 decider. Expect more chatter about Bronny’s dual-sport pedigree once the basketball world reconvenes after the break.