Hyundai Motor's humanoid robot Atlas has learned to play football well enough to score with an elaborate trick shot, capping a video campaign the carmaker is using to showcase its robotics technology ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The video released Friday shows Atlas, made by Hyundai affiliate Boston Dynamics, scoring with a move it dubbed the "Ghost Rabona." The robot faked a strike with its left foot to throw the defense off balance, then fired the ball with its right foot from behind its standing leg. The move forced it to cross its legs for an instant, a difficult maneuver, yet it kept its balance.
The video is part of a five-part series titled "School of Football," uploaded on Hyundai Motor's YouTube channel. Hyundai Motor Group, an official World Cup partner, said it built the campaign to show where robotics stands today and where it could go, with football as the hook.
The robot's footwork was convincing enough to startle one of the game's biggest names.
In a clip posted Wednesday, Korea's national team captain Son Heung-min watched Atlas train and reacted with disbelief.
