Why Kylian Mbappé left Nike for On's football revolution
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Kylian Mbappé has ended his long-running Nike partnership to join Swiss brand On.
- Thierry Henry has been appointed On's Director of Football.
- On will launch its first football products in 2027 using LightSpray technology.
The Real Madrid and France star, who began working with Nike as a child, will become a global ambassador for On and play an active role in developing its future football products.
On says its first football products will be available in 2027 through On.com, On stores and selected retail partners.
Why has Mbappé joined On?
Mbappé's move represents a significant change for a player who has been associated with Nike for around two decades.Rather than simply becoming the face of another boot range, however, Mbappé is expected to have a hands-on role in On's football project.
According to On, he will work directly with its product teams, bringing his experience as an elite player into the development and testing of future football footwear and apparel. He will also represent the brand beyond football, covering areas including performance, movement and contemporary design.
Mbappé said the opportunity to help create something new was a major attraction.
We're bringing one shared dream to life, and I can't wait for everyone to see what we're building together.The partnership also follows the model On has established in other sports, particularly through its long-term relationship with tennis star Roger Federer.
Who are On?
On is a Swiss sportswear company founded in Zürich in 2010 by former professional triathlete Olivier Bernhard, together with David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti.The brand initially made its name in running with its distinctive CloudTec technology before expanding into other areas of performance footwear and apparel.
Its rise has been built around a combination of technical innovation, athlete partnerships and a strong emphasis on contemporary design. The company is now attempting to apply that formula to football.
On's football launch is therefore more than the introduction of another boot. The company is positioning football as a new category in which it can combine its existing technology with player-led product development.
Thierry Henry takes charge of On Football
One of the most significant elements of the launch is the appointment of Thierry Henry as On's Director of Football.The former Arsenal and France forward has already been working with the company behind the scenes since late 2025, helping establish its approach to football, player relationships and product development.
Henry's role gives On an experienced football figure at the centre of its new division.
Rather than simply using a former player as a brand ambassador, On says Henry has been involved in the development of its football strategy and product approach.
His focus will include player relationships, product direction and ensuring that the company's technology is developed around the practical demands of the modern game.
What is LightSpray technology?
LightSpray is one of the key technologies On hopes will differentiate its football boots.The manufacturing process uses a robotic system to spray a continuous filament onto a shoe, creating a lightweight, seamless upper. On says the technology can reduce a traditionally multi-part manufacturing process to minutes whilst producing an upper designed to provide a close, barefoot-style feel.
The company is now adapting LightSpray specifically for football.
That includes testing football-specific elements such as stud configurations and fits designed around the dynamic movements required on the pitch. On says both laced and non-laced versions are being tested.
The technology has already become closely associated with On's wider footwear innovation. Its challenge now is proving that the same manufacturing philosophy can translate successfully from running to elite football.
Sydney Schertenleib joins the project
On's football strategy is not limited to the men's game.Swiss international and Barcelona player Sydney Schertenleib has joined Mbappé and Henry in helping develop the company's football products.
On says Schertenleib will provide direct insight into the women's game and help challenge, improve and refine its future products. The company describes her as its first female ambassador for On Football.
That gives the brand three different perspectives at the product-development stage: Mbappé's experience as an elite men's player, Henry's experience as a former international and coach, and Schertenleib's perspective from the women's game.
Can On challenge Nike and adidas?
Breaking into football will be a different challenge from building a successful running business.Nike and adidas have spent decades developing football boots, sponsoring elite players and clubs, and building enormous global distribution networks. Puma is another established competitor, whilst brands including Under Armour, New Balance and Skechers have also attempted to gain ground in the category.
On is taking a different route.
Instead of entering the market with an established football range and gradually building its athlete roster, the company has started with one of the world's most recognisable players and a product-development strategy centred on new technology.
Mbappé's involvement gives On immediate visibility. Henry adds football expertise, whilst Schertenleib gives the company a direct connection to the women's game.
The harder test will come when players can actually buy and use the products in competitive football.
On's first football products are scheduled to arrive in 2027, meaning the company still has time to refine the technology before its wider commercial launch.
What comes next for On?
On's ambitions appear to extend beyond football boots.The company has confirmed that it is developing football products across footwear and apparel, although the initial focus is clearly on its first football boots.
For Mbappé, the partnership also creates an opportunity to influence the products he wears rather than simply endorse an existing range.
For On, meanwhile, signing Mbappé gives its new football division a powerful global platform from day one.
The company has already disrupted established sportswear categories through its running technology and athlete-led approach. Football will be a considerably larger and more entrenched market to enter.
Whether On can turn its technological ambitions into a serious football business will become clearer once its first products reach the market in 2027.
For now, one thing is clear: On has chosen to enter football with one of the biggest names in the sport at the centre of its strategy.
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