Kylian Mbappé Joins On After 20 Years with Nike

Kylian Mbappé has closed the book on nearly 20 years with Nike and opened a new chapter with Swiss brand On, in one of the most striking boot deals football has seen in years.

The Real Madrid forward, who first signed with Nike at just eight years old, has agreed a landmark partnership with On Holding as the company prepares to step fully into professional football. A brand built on running shoes now has one of the sport’s most marketable stars fronting its move onto the pitch.

For almost two decades, Mbappé grew up in Nike’s ecosystem. From academy prospect to Monaco prodigy, from Paris Saint-Germain superstar to Galáctico in Madrid, the American giant backed him all the way. He rose alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Vinícius Júnior as one of Nike’s most powerful global faces, fronting the Mercurial line and earning his own exclusive boots bearing his name – the kind of treatment reserved for the very top of the pyramid.

That era is over.

Mbappé’s contract with Nike expired on July 31, yet the relationship appeared to linger. He still featured in promotions, and the brand continued to spotlight him across its commercial platforms, fuelling uncertainty over his next move. The silence finally broke with an official announcement confirming his switch to On.

“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 said in the launch statement. “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. We have a shared dream, and this is only the beginning.”

On is no stranger to star power. The company has already rewritten parts of tennis’ commercial playbook by bringing Roger Federer on board in 2019 as an investor and strategic partner. The Swiss icon left his own long-term Nike deal, took equity in On, and helped create a signature product line that blended performance with his personal brand.

Mbappé’s decision follows that template. A dominant athlete walks away from one of the sport’s most entrenched sponsors to join a rising challenger intent on reshaping the market. Where Nike once defined his image, On now offers him a seat at the design table.

For football, the move is more than a logo change on a pair of boots. Severing ties after almost 20 years closes one of the defining alliances in modern sports marketing and signals a shift in how elite players see their role in the industry. Mbappé is not just endorsing a product; he is positioning himself to help build an entire football collection from the ground up.

The Swoosh chapter is finished. The next one, written in Swiss engineering and French flair, starts with Mbappé at the heart of On’s first serious step into the world’s biggest game.