On Signs French Football Star Mbappé, Delivering Another Knock for Nike
- On Friday, French soccer star Kylian Mbappé announced he has left Nike to sign with Swiss sportswear brand On. Mbappé will serve as a global ambassador for the company's official entry into football.
- Ending a 20-year relationship with Nike that began in 2006 when Mbappé was eight years old, the Real Madrid star now joins On to help develop their first football footwear line. Nike had made him a centerpiece of its football marketing.
- Former star Thierry Henry, who has worked as On's Director of Football since 2025, played a key role in recruiting Mbappé. Swiss international player Sydney Schertenleib has also joined to test new products.
- On's US-listed shares rose 5% in premarket trading following the announcement, signaling market confidence. The company, backed by tennis legend Roger Federer, seeks to expand its footprint in the Americas.
- While On plans to launch its first football boots in 2027, Mbappé is expected to wear prototypes in games sooner. Co-CEO David Allemann said the brand aims to "bring On's approach to the pitch" and challenge market conventions.
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How Roger Federer pulled On into tennis and why the brand is repeating play with Kylian Mbappe
Roger Federer helped running brand On enter tennis in 2019 as an investor and product partner, then wore its first match shoe. The company has used a similar cash-and-equity playbook with Kylian Mbappe after his Nike exit, hoping he can open football the way Federer opened tennis.
More Trouble for Nike: a Superstar Walks Away
Kylian Mbappe just delivered a hit to Nike at a vulnerable time. After roughly 20 years with the swoosh, the French soccer star is walking away to take an equity store in Swiss brand On, which plans to launch its first soccer shoe in 2027, reports Business Insider . Instead of...
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The Swiss equipment manufacturer We want to invest the world of football. French player Kylian Mbappé becomes shareholder and ambassador, signing a 10-year contract, which ends the one he had with Nike for 20 years.
It’s On: Kylian Mbappé Joins High-Tech Sports Brand As it Targets Football Boot Market – channelnews
French football superstar and shareholder of premium technology brand Loewe, Kylian Mbappé has joined Swiss sportswear company On as a global ambassador, giving the brand a major profile boost as it prepares to enter the highly competitive football market. The partnership ends Mbappé’s long-running relationship with Nike, which began when he was just nine years old. Financial details have not been disclosed, although On has confirmed the agreement includes both cash and equity components. On plans to launch its first football boots in 2027 and is developing products with Mbappé and other athletes. Mbappé will work directly with On’s product teams on the development and testing of future football footwear and apparel. The company is also bringing its LightSpray technology into football, using a robotic manufacturing process that creates performance uppers from a continuous sprayed filament. According to On, the technology could produce lightweight products designed specifically for the demands of football. Mbappé is also a brand ambassador and shareholder of Loewe. The footballer became a shareholder in the German premium electronics manufacturer in 2024 through his investment vehicle Coalition Capital. Loewe said at the time that the investment was intended to help strengthen its global position and reach younger, more technology-focused consumers. The footballer has since been closely associated with Loewe’s audio products and the company’s We. HEAR Pro portable speaker was developed in collaboration with him. The product combines a 100-watt audio system, up to 24 hours of battery life and IPX6 splash resistance. That combination of sport, technology and product development is increasingly becoming part of Mbappé’s commercial profile. On is also building its football operation around former France international Thierry Henry, who has been working as the company’s Director of Football since 2025. Swiss footballer Sydney Schertenleib is also involved in product development It will be worth watching On as it expands its product range, with the company already having a growing presence in Australia’s premium running market. Its entry into football could put it into direct competition with Nike, Adidas and Puma. The first On football boots are scheduled to arrive in 2027.
Mbappé Leaves Nike for On as It Expands Into Soccer
On is expanding into soccer, signing Kylian Mbappé away from Nike and hiring former French soccer player Thierry Henry as its director of football. The move marks the Swiss sportswear brand’s push into a new category as growth in its core running business slows and investors question expansion within the category. “Our ambition is to bring On’s approach to the pitch, the pavement and the runway – connecting elite performance with the culture tha…
On doesn't sell a football shoe yet – and still gets Mbappé from Nike. Behind the coup is a strategy that goes far beyond football.
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