Kylian Mbappe, France captain and Real Madrid forward, has ended his long-standing partnership with Nike after signing with Swiss sportswear company On, marking the brand’s entry into football.
On announced the deal on Friday, saying Mbappé would play a central role in its expansion into the world’s biggest sport.
“Today, Swiss sportswear brand On announces its entry into football alongside football champion Kylian Mbappé, marking the beginning of the brand’s journey into the world’s biggest sport,” the company said.
The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
On targets football market
Mbappé, who has been associated with Nike since 2006, said the partnership would allow him to help develop a new generation of football products.
“From the beginning, what drew me to On was the opportunity to build something entirely new together that will help shape tomorrow’s game,” Mbappé said.
“I want to bring my experience and perspective into what we create, push what’s possible through innovation, and always stay true to the joy of football.”
On also announced the appointment of Thierry Henry, France and Arsenal legend and a 1998 World Cup winner, as its football director.
The Zurich-based company plans to launch its first football boots next year as it seeks to establish a presence in the lucrative football footwear market.
Founded in 2010, On initially built its business around running footwear before expanding into tennis and other sports. Tennis great Roger Federer is among the company’s shareholders and also moved from Nike to On towards the end of his playing career.
Nike loses leading football ambassador
Mbappé’s departure represents a significant loss for Nike, which had made the French forward one of the leading faces of its global football business.
The 2018 World Cup winner and France’s all-time leading scorer at the tournament with 12 goals had risen to become one of Nike’s most prominent football ambassadors.
His move to On comes as competition among sportswear brands intensifies for elite football talent. Spanish teenager Lamine Yamal also left Nike for Adidas in 2024.
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Facts Only
* Kylian Mbappé is the captain of the France national team and a forward for Real Madrid.
* Mbappé signed a partnership deal with Swiss sportswear company On.
* This agreement ends Mbappé's partnership with Nike, which began in 2006.
* On appointed Thierry Henry as its football director.
* On plans to launch its first football boots next year.
* On was founded in 2010 and initially focused on running footwear.
* Roger Federer is a shareholder in On.
* Lamine Yamal moved from Nike to Adidas in 2024.
* Financial terms of the Mbappé agreement were not disclosed.
* On is based in Zurich.
Executive Summary
Kylian Mbappé has transitioned from a long-term partnership with Nike to a new agreement with the Swiss brand On, signaling On's strategic entry into the global football market. This move is accompanied by the appointment of Thierry Henry as football director and a plan to release the company's first football boots next year. Mbappé intends to contribute to the development of new football products through this partnership.
The departure of Mbappé, a primary global face for Nike, occurs amidst intensifying competition for elite talent, as evidenced by Lamine Yamal's recent move to Adidas. While On has successfully expanded from running into tennis—supported by shareholder Roger Federer—its ability to capture the lucrative football footwear market remains to be seen. Specific financial details regarding the deal have not been made public.
Full Take
The strongest version of this narrative is that a disruptive, innovation-led brand is challenging the established hegemony of sportswear giants by recruiting "generational" talents who seek more creative agency than a legacy corporate structure can provide.
The framing relies heavily on the "innovation" narrative, presenting the move as a shift toward "shaping tomorrow's game." While this echoes standard corporate branding, it positions the athlete not as a paid spokesperson, but as a co-creator. The mention of Roger Federer serves as a blueprint, suggesting a repeatable pattern where elite athletes move from mass-market giants to boutique, high-growth firms to secure a larger share of the brand's equity and identity.
This narrative is driven by the paradigm of "The Athlete as Enterprise." The unstated assumption is that the value of an athlete now transcends mere endorsement; they are treated as venture partners. The shift from Nike to On mirrors a broader economic trend: the migration from legacy conglomerates to agile, niche players who offer personalized partnership models. The benefit accrues to the athlete's long-term brand equity and the challenger brand's instant credibility. The cost is borne by the legacy incumbent, which loses its "halo effect" when its most potent symbols depart.
Patterns detected: none
If this were a coordinated influence campaign, the playbook would involve fabricating a "crisis" at Nike to signal a systemic collapse of their market dominance, using a single departure to imply a mass exodus of talent. The actual content does not match this; it reports a specific event and a secondary instance without claiming a broader trend of instability.
Bridge Questions:
1. Does the move to a smaller brand reflect a genuine desire for innovation, or a more lucrative equity-based financial structure?
2. How does the entry of a "running-first" company change the technical landscape of football footwear?
3. To what extent does the "football director" role of Thierry Henry influence the sporting legitimacy of a non-football brand?