The captain of the French team Kylian Mbappé has signed up with the equipment manufacturer On after having been linked with the American Nike since the start of his career, the Swiss brand announced on Friday.
“Today, Swiss sportswear brand On announces its entry into football alongside football champion Kylian Mbappé, marking the start of the brand’s journey in the world’s biggest sport,” On said in a statement, also specifying that 1998 world champion Thierry Henry was becoming its football director.
“From the start, what attracted me to On was the possibility of building something completely new together, which will help shape the game of tomorrow. I want to bring my experience and perspective to what we create, push the boundaries through innovation and always stay true to the joy of football. We have a common dream, and this is only the beginning,” said Kylian Mbappé, quoted in the press release.
We, who are thus entering the football segment with this resounding signature, have not indicated the amount of the contract signed with the superstar of the Blues.
Hard blow for Nike
Founded in 2010 and until then specialized in the manufacture of running or tennis shoes, its shareholder includes tennis legend Roger Federer, who also left Nike at the end of his career on the courts to join the Zurich-based equipment manufacturer.
Mbappé’s departure is a huge blow for Nike, the world leader in sporting goods, which had been involved with the French striker since a young age and had made him its main headliner in the football market. Mbappé, world champion in 2018 and record holder for goals scored in the final phase of the World Cup (22), had thus gradually supplanted the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, another muse of the comma brand but who is approaching the end of his career at 41 years old.
Nike, however, still remains under contract with several major stars of world football such as Norwegian strikers Erling Haaland and Brazilian Vinicius, Mbappé’s teammate at Real Madrid.
The American company, based in Oregon (north-west), is also the equipment supplier for the French team since it extended its contract with the French Football Federation (FFF) in 2024 until 2034 for an amount estimated at 100 million euros annually.
