Kylian Mbappe has ended his long-term Nike partnership to spearhead a move into football by Swiss sports brand On.
The Frenchman has been sponsored by Nike since he was a child, but has now cut ties with the American company to join their Swiss rivals.
On has plans to launch its first football boots next year, and then hopes to manufacture kits in the future – but who are they?
Running and tennis brand has grand ambitions for football move
The Swiss brand is serious about its move into football, having also appointed Mbappe’s fellow Frenchman, Thierry Henry as its director of football.
It’s also developed a ‘LightSpray’ technology, made using robots no less, which it hopes will help it standout from established competitors like Nike and Adidas.
Mbappe will be seen as a huge coup for On, who have previously held long-term partnerships with sporting stars like Roger Federer.
He became an investor in the brand back in 2019 and has worked with them on product development, helping to create its tennis products. Mbappe will be doing the same for its football products.
In a statement on Friday, On said that Mbappe will be “at the heart of On’s football journey, uniting one of football’s defining players with one of sportswear’s most innovative brands.
“He will work directly with On’s product teams, integrating his elite perspective into the development and testing of future football footwear and apparel.
“He will also become a global ambassador for On, extending the partnership beyond football into movement, performance and contemporary design.”
The company has been around for 16 years, after being founded back in 2010 by former Swiss ironman champion Olivier Bernhard.
Whether or not they will be able to break into the football market remains to be seen, with Under Armor and Skechers both trying to break the stranglehold Nike and Adidas have held for years.
Signing arguably the biggest player on the planet isn’t a bad place for them to start.
