Kylian Mbappé ends his relationship and bond with Nike to begin a new stage with On. The Swiss sports clothing and footwear company has announced the Real Madrid forward as a global partner of the brand, in a move that accelerates its entry into football and brings to this sport the expansion strategy that it has already developed from running to other disciplines such as tennis.

The relationship goes beyond an image agreement. Mbappé will work with On’s teams in the development and testing of its future range of boots, clothing and other football-specific products, as well as representing the company off the pitch. The first products will hit the market in 2027.
The agreement has been closed for ten years and includes both financial remuneration and On shares, although the amounts and participation that the footballer will receive have not been made public. Mbappé thus also joins the company as a shareholder.

“What attracted me to On was the possibility of building together something completely new that contributes to shaping the football of tomorrow”said the footballer on the occasion of the announcement.
The signing of Mbappé is the most visible piece of a broader strategy with which On wants to open a new business category. The company, born in Switzerland in 2010 and until now especially linked to running, is preparing its first specific range for football, which will include products for both the men’s and women’s games.

To develop the project, Thierry Henry has also been hired as Director of Football. The former French footballer will participate in the development of the category and has been involved in the arrival of Mbappé to the company.
The third name of the project is Sydney Schertenleib, Swiss player for FC Barcelona and the first female ambassador of On Football. The brand previously began working with it on products for training and everyday use and has now integrated it into the development of its specific proposal for women’s football.

On explains that he has been working with Mbappé, Henry and Schertenleib for about a year to develop the category. The three are bringing their experience to test and perfect the first products before their commercial launch.

One of the main technological assets that the company intends to transfer to football is LightSpray, a manufacturing system through which robots spray material to create the upper part of the shoe. The technology makes it possible to develop seamless structures and reduce weight, and On is testing both laced and non-laced versions with Mbappé and Schertenleib. He is also working on specific elements for football, such as the distribution of the studs and the adjustment of the boots to the movements of the game.

Original publication of the video in the On’s Instagram profile

“Football doesn’t need one more sports brand that does the same thing as the others. Football needs new ideas and a new perspective on what is possible”explained David Allemann, Founder and Co-CEO of On. The company plans its arrival in sports with the intention of combining performance and culture, transferring its proposal “to the fields, to the streets and to the walkways.”

From Roger Federer’s model to football

The strategy is reminiscent of the path that On has taken with Roger Federer, linked to the company since 2019 as an investor and partner in product development. His incorporation helped the company expand its territory from running to tennis and lifestyle, including the development of The Roger line.
Now On seeks to transfer part of that approach to the most popular sport in the world with Mbappé as a great entry figure. The move places the company in front of a market historically dominated by Nike, Adidas and Puma, in which other brands have tried to gain ground in recent years.

Original publication of the video in the On’s Instagram profile

For Mbappé, the agreement marks the end of a relationship with Nike that began when he was still a child. The Frenchman progressively gained weight within Nike Football until he became one of its main figures and had different editions of the Mercurial linked to his image. His contract with the American company had ended on July 31.

On’s entry into football comes after rapid growth since its founding in 2010. The company began specializing in running and later expanded its activity into tennis, training, outdoor activities and sports fashion. In 2021 it also began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Football now represents one of its most ambitious diversification movements. Beyond developing boots to compete in performance, On has expressed its intention to also work on the cultural dimension of the sport, connecting the technical product used on the field with fashion and style on the street.

The company will begin marketing its football range in 2027 through its website, its own stores and selected distributors. Until then, Mbappé, Henry and Schertenleib will be the figures around which On will develop and test a proposal with which it aspires to open space in a category until now foreign to the brand.