In Major Move, Kylian Mbappé Leaves Nike for On Running to Be the ‘Heart’ of Its New Football Category
Kylian Mbappe has joined On as the face of its expansion into football after years with Nike. Thierry Henry will serve as director of On Football.
Following a summer filled with World Cup fever, On is finally getting in on the action.
In a surprise move, and major upset for competitor Nike, On has inked a deal with Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé to be the face of its new football category.
According to the Swiss athletic firm, Mbappé will be “at the heart” of On’s football journey. He will work directly with On’s product teams, integrating his elite perspective into the development and testing of future football footwear and apparel, the company confirmed on Friday. He will also become a global ambassador for On, extending the partnership beyond football into movement, performance, and contemporary design.
Mbappé said in a statement that what drew him to On was the “opportunity to build something entirely new together that will help shape tomorrow’s game.”
“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,” Mbappé noted. “We have a shared dream, and this is only the beginning.”
David Allemann, founder and co-chief executive officer of On, added that with Mbappé, the company has “the perfect partner to dream what football can become.”
To bring its new category to life, On also announced on Friday that Thierry Henry, who has been working behind the scenes with the brand on every aspect of its entry and product approach since late 2025, has been named director of football.
One of the most celebrated players of his generation as a French World Cup winner and Arsenal FC legend, Henry has been working on the brand’s entry into football since late 2025. Drawing on decades at the highest level of the game, he will play a central role in the strategic development of On Football, from product and athlete relationships to how On approaches the culture and future of the sport.
“Building something new in football requires a bold and original approach,” Henry said in a statement. “Over the past year, I’ve seen first-hand the curiosity and attention to detail the team at On brings to that process. We want to listen to players, understand what they need and create something that can genuinely add to the game. I’m proud to be part of shaping what comes next.”
What’s more, On has asked Sydney Schertenleib to expand her role with the company. The Swiss international and FC Barcelona player first joined On in December 2025 as an ambassador for training and lifestyle. Her relationship with the brand now expands into football, where she will work directly with On’s teams on product development and testing. Her perspective will help shape products designed for the future of the women’s game.
“I’ve already experienced how differently On thinks about performance and design, so being part of its journey into football feels really exciting,” Schertenleib added. “As a player, having the opportunity to work directly with On and bring my perspective into the development process is something really special. I can honestly say, I’ve never felt the ball like I have in the product the team is working on.”
On noted that it will now apply the technology it has developed like LightSpray and CloudTec to the specific demands of elite football. The development process will be athlete-led from the outset, On said. Elite players will work directly with On’s product teams to test, challenge and refine future football products, combining first-hand experience from the highest level of the game with On’s Swiss engineering and approach to innovation. “The ambition is to rethink what football product can be: exceptionally lightweight, precise, and close to the athlete like a second skin,” the company added.
“Football doesn’t need another sportswear brand to do more of the same,” Allemann continued. “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. Our ambition is to bring On’s approach to the pitch, the pavement, and the runway — connecting elite performance with the culture that surrounds the game.”
The news comes months after On denied to FN in a statement that it was entering the football category amid World Cup fever.
The denial came after a Bloomberg story earlier this summer that noted On cofounder Olivier Bernhard saying that the company is “absolutely” interested in the move.
But a representative for On stopped short of confirming the news to FN in June. In a statement sent to FN, the rep said that the Swiss company is “operating from a position of strength, with significant growth opportunities across its existing business.”
“We continue to see strong potential in our core categories and markets, while also evaluating opportunities in new sports, including major spectator sports such as football and others,” the spokesperson stated in June. “We will share further details when there are concrete decisions to announce.”
This isn’t the first time the running-focused brand jumped into making shoes for a new sport. In 2020, the company launched its first tennis-inspired sneaker, The Roger, with Roger Federer as a partner.
In June, the company noted it was getting into Hyrox, the rapidly growing sport of hybrid fitness racing, with the debut of the Cloud X Tempo Pro sneaker. Built to handle race-day intensity, the final production model of the Cloud X Tempo Pro aims to deliver “proven pace and power across every station and running stride,” the company said.
Along with the shoe, On also announced the signing of athletes Alexander Roncevic and Ida Mathilde Steensgaard in the competitive fitness racing space of Hyrox.
Originally published by wwd.com. Syndicated material does not necessarily reflect the views of Glamour Canada.
