A Two-Decade Bond with Nike
Kylian Mbappé’s connection with Nike traces back nearly twenty years to 2006, when he was just an aspiring schoolboy dreaming of lacing up the Mercurial boots worn by Cristiano Ronaldo. As detailed in Julien Laurens' biography Kylian Mbappé: The Authorized Biography, he received complimentary gear as a prodigy before signing formal terms, becoming the sole player in his Clairefontaine intake with a Nike sponsorship.
This summer, Nike commemorated Mbappé becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in Men's World Cup history by crafting a custom golden Mercurial Superfly boot. Behind the scenes, however, Nike had developed the prototype well in advance, fully aware that this commemorative release would serve as their parting tribute to the 27-year-old superstar as his contract reached its expiration.
A Groundbreaking Switch to On
Mbappé has officially bid farewell to the American giant to join Swiss brand On, marking the performance running label's maiden venture into football boots. To bolster its footballing credibility, On also appointed former Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry as Director of Football.
While financial figures remain undisclosed, sources confirm that Mbappé has been granted an equity stake in On—a decisive incentive that Nike was unwilling to match despite offering a comparable base salary. The long-term pact, understood to span approximately ten years, also includes substantial performance bonuses for lifting the World Cup and the UEFA Champions League.
Much like Harry Kane joining Skechers or Simone Biles signing with Athleta, Mbappé embraces the allure of becoming the defining face of a challenger brand. Valued at over $9 billion with nearly $4 billion in annual revenue, On offers lucrative equity upside that ensures Mbappé will profit long after retirement.
LightSpray Innovation and Strategic Rollout
Central to On's football proposition is its proprietary "LightSpray" technology, an automated manufacturing breakthrough where robots spray an ultra-light upper onto the boot in under three minutes, allowing customized structural reinforcements within 24 hours to deliver a seamless "second-skin" fit.
On co-founder and CEO David Allemann revealed that Thierry Henry had been collaborating with the brand under complete secrecy since 2025, playing an instrumental role in pitching the vision to Mbappé during summits across Madrid, Paris, and Zurich. Mbappé has already been testing all-white prototype boots away from public view and will debut them on pitch in the coming weeks, while his virtual avatar in EA Sports FC 27 is confirmed to feature On footwear ahead of the boot's commercial market rollout in 2027.
