Kylian Mbappé Joins Swiss Brand On for Football
Kylian Mbappé has ended his long-running partnership with Nike and signed with Swiss sportswear brand On, a move that signals a bold new play in the football market from the Zurich-based company.
The deal, announced on Friday, brings the France captain together with a brand best known until now for its running and tennis shoes. For On, this is a statement of intent. For Mbappé, it is a chance to put his stamp on something from the ground up.
“Today, Swiss sportswear brand On announces its entry into football alongside football champion Kylian Mbappe, marking the beginning of the brand’s journey into the world’s biggest sport,” the company said in a statement.
The switch ends a relationship with Nike that stretches back to the very start of Mbappé’s professional career, during which he rose from teenage prodigy to World Cup winner and one of the sport’s most marketable figures.
From Mbappé’s side, the appeal goes beyond a simple logo change.
“From the beginning, what drew me to On was the opportunity to build something entirely new together that will help shape tomorrow’s game,” he 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. We have a shared dream, and this is only the beginning.”
On did not disclose the value or length of the contract, but the scale of the move is clear from the names involved and the roles being created.
Thierry Henry named football director
To anchor its push into the sport, On has appointed 1998 World Cup winner Thierry Henry as its football director. The former France and Arsenal star, now a respected coach and pundit, will help shape the brand’s football strategy as it tries to establish itself in a market dominated by long-standing giants.
It gives On a powerful French axis at the heart of its football project: the country’s current captain on the pitch and one of its greatest ever players in a leadership role off it.
Founded in 2010, On built its reputation in performance running and later expanded into tennis. One of its most high-profile early backers was Roger Federer, who became both an investor and a global face of the brand after leaving Nike towards the end of his career.
Now On is attempting a similar leap in football, only this time with a superstar in his prime. Mbappé’s signature drags the company straight into the elite tier of the game’s commercial landscape, bypassing the usual slow climb through mid-level endorsements.
Whether On can turn one of football’s biggest names into a lasting foothold in the sport is the challenge. What’s certain is that with Mbappé on the pitch and Henry in the boardroom, the brand’s entrance into football will not go unnoticed.
