It seems that On are making a habit of swaying major Nike athletes over to their side: first was tennis superstar Roger Federer, and now Kylian Mbappé has made the switch to the Swiss powerhouse. From the sound of it, the Swoosh didn’t put up much of a fight to keep one of their biggest football stars, who’s been with the brand for nearly 20 years – Mbappé simply sought out other partners, and Nike let him just do it.
The French icon rocked plenty of player exclusive boots and led many brand campaigns during his time with Nike, but now as the Beaverton execs focus on their younger roster, Mbappé will become the face of On Football, building the brand’s new division together.
Given On’s track record in the running space, you can expect that they will be bringing the same level of innovation to the pitch. ‘Football doesn’t need another sportswear brand to do more of the same,’ says David Allemann, founder and co-CEO of On. ‘Football needs new ideas and a challenge to what is possible. When we enter a sport, we want to be the brand of the future – through true innovation and contemporary design.’
Similar to On’s previously activity in working with runners, the brand will be using Mbappé and other elite players’ insights to develop and test all of their future football footwear and apparel, to ensure they have the best product for the beautiful game.
‘From the beginning, what drew me to On was the opportunity to build something entirely new together that will help shape tomorrow’s game,’ Mbappé says of the new partnership. ‘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.’
There’s no glimpse at what On football boots will look like just yet, but the brand have confirmed they’ll be using their LightSpray™ technology to craft the performance footwear, creating an upper from a continuous spray filament. As part of this major signing, On have also announced a couple of other notable moves in the corporate space: Football legend Thierry Henry has been working as their director of football since late 2025, and Swiss international and FC Barcelona player Sydney Schertenleib will be helping with development and testing for the women’s side of the sport. Keep it locked to Sneaker Freaker for all updates as we await to see what comes out of this partnership in 2027.
Curious to learn more about On’s approach to innovation in footwear? Check out our interview with the brand’s founders.