The Real Madrid striker and France captain signed on as the face of On’s first football boots, set to launch in 2027 with innovative LightSpray technology for lightweight uppers. Mbappé gets equity in the company and will collaborate on footwear and apparel, while Thierry Henry, hired secretly as Director of Football since 2025, helped seal the deal. This long-term partnership echoes On’s success with Roger Federer and positions the running shoe brand as a fresh challenger in football alongside giants like Nike.
In one of the most significant endorsement shifts in modern sports history, Real Madrid forward and France captain Kylian Mbappé has officially ended his long-standing partnership with Nike to join Swiss sportswear brand On.
The blockbuster deal sees Mbappé become the global face of On’s upcoming foray into football. As part of the multi-year agreement, the World Cup winner receives an equity stake in the company and will actively collaborate on co-designed performance footwear, training gear, and lifestyle apparel collections.
The announcement marks On’s formal entry into the competitive football market. The brand’s debut line of football boots, set for a commercial launch in 2027, will incorporate its proprietary LightSpray technology—a robotic spraying process that creates ultra-lightweight, seamless uppers designed for high-speed performance.
The high-profile agreement was quietly spearheaded by French football legend Thierry Henry, who was secretly appointed as On’s Director of Football in 2025 to lead the brand’s technical and talent strategy. Henry’s involvement proved pivotal in convincing Mbappé to leave Nike after two decades and commit to the Swiss brand’s long-term vision.
This partnership closely mirrors On’s successful athlete-equity playbook established with tennis icon Roger Federer. By securing one of global sport’s premier superstars alongside cutting-edge manufacturing technology, On directly positions itself as a disruptive challenger to traditional industry giants like Nike, Adidas, and Puma.
