Serious, composed, sitting on the floor with a ball in his hands. That is how Kylian Mbappé announced on Instagram that he was ending his sponsorship deal with Nike to become the new face of On. The Swiss company made its name with high-performance running shoes before expanding into tennis. In 2019, Roger Federer signed a deal that gave him a stake in the company, and today a number of prominent tennis players wear On shoes, including American Ben Shelton.
With Mbappé, the brand is moving into football for the first time, something that mattered to the Real Madrid forward when the time came to make a change: “From the beginning, what attracted me to On was the opportunity to build something completely new together, something that will help shape the football of tomorrow,” Kylian said in the official statement released by On.
On’s football project is off to a flying start. Alongside Mbappé, the company has brought in Thierry Henry as Director of Football. Henry began working with the brand in 2025, although the relationship was not made public, and played a crucial role in bringing Mbappé on board as his Nike contract came to an end: “Over the past year, I’ve seen first-hand the curiosity and attention to detail that the On team brings to this journey. We want to listen to the players, understand what they need and create something that can make a real contribution to the game. I’m proud to help build what comes next,” Henry said.
Mbappé will have a significant say in the design of his signature shoes. “I want to bring my experience and perspective to what we create, push the limits of what’s possible through innovation and always stay true to the joy of football. We share a dream, and this is only the beginning,” Mbappé said.
“Football doesn’t need another sportswear brand doing the same things all over again. Football needs new ideas and someone willing to challenge the limits of what’s possible,” said David Allemann, founder and co-CEO of On. “In Kylian, we have the perfect partner to imagine what football can become.”
Mbappé joins a list of athletes moving away from the major brands such as Adidas and Nike in search of greater influence and freedom over what they create: Steph Curry with Chinese brand Li-Ning, Harry Kane with Skechers, Coco Gauff with New Balance. Mbappé has chosen the same path, and will now be central to On’s move into football.