Kylian Mbappé Ends Nike Partnership for On Holding
Kylian Mbappé has drawn a bold line under nearly 20 years with Nike, ending one of football’s most prominent boot partnerships and throwing his weight behind Swiss challenger On Holding as it steps into the professional game.
The Madrid forward had been a Nike athlete since he was eight. From academy prodigy to World Cup winner, his rise ran in parallel with the brand’s marketing machine. He grew into a headline act alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Vinícius Júnior, fronting the Mercurial line and joining the small group of players trusted with their own signature boots.
Now that story is over.
Mbappé’s contract with Nike expired on July 31, but the break was anything but clean at first. He continued to feature in Nike campaigns, his image still dotted across the company’s commercial platforms while negotiations and speculation swirled in the background. The question lingered: stay with the giant he grew up with, or jump into something untested?
He has made his choice.
Mbappé has signed a landmark partnership with On Holding, the Swiss brand that built its reputation in running and is now moving aggressively into new sports. On has already rewritten parts of tennis history, bringing in Roger Federer as an investor and strategic partner back in November 2019. The Swiss icon later ended his own long relationship with Nike, took equity in On, and helped create a signature line that blurred the lines between athlete and brand architect.
Mbappé is clearly stepping onto a similar path.
“From the beginning, what drew me to On was the opportunity to build something entirely new together that will help shape tomorrow's game,” he said in the official announcement. “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.”
The move does more than change the logo on his boots. It closes a defining chapter in modern football marketing. Nike backed him through Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and into Madrid, elevating him to the same commercial tier as Ronaldo with bespoke boots carrying his name. That relationship helped frame him not just as a star, but as one of the faces of the sport.
Walking away after almost two decades is a statement. For Nike, it’s the loss of a generational talent at the height of his powers. For On, it is the clearest signal yet that the brand intends to be more than a niche running specialist.
For Mbappé, it opens a different kind of role: not just endorser, but co-creator. He is now positioned to directly influence the design and development of On’s first full football collection.
The next time he steps out in a new pair of boots, he won’t just be selling a product. He’ll be wearing a project that carries his fingerprints.
