Kylian Mbappé Leaves Nike for On Holding: A New Era in Football

Kylian Mbappé has drawn a line under almost 20 years with Nike, closing one of football’s most powerful commercial partnerships and stepping into a bold new project with Swiss brand On Holding.

The Real Madrid forward, who first signed with Nike at the age of eight, has agreed a landmark deal with On as the company makes its first serious move into professional football. For a player who grew up wearing the Swoosh, this is more than a change of boots. It’s a reset.

From Nike prodigy to global face

Nike backed Mbappé long before the rest of the world knew his name. From his academy days to his explosion at Monaco, his superstardom at Paris Saint-Germain and his arrival at Madrid, the American giant was a constant presence.

He rose into the same commercial stratosphere as Cristiano Ronaldo and Vinicius Jr, fronting Nike campaigns and, crucially, becoming the face of the Mercurial line. The brand built boots around him, granting him exclusive editions bearing his name – treatment reserved for the very top of their pyramid.

That era is now over.

Mbappé’s Nike contract expired on July 31. Even as the deal ran down, he kept appearing in Nike promotions, and the company continued to use him across its channels, feeding uncertainty over what would come next. The answer has arrived, and it is emphatic.

On’s football gamble – with Mbappé at the centre

On Holding made its name in running. Lightweight, technical, clean-lined – a runner’s brand before anything else. But the Swiss company has been quietly broadening its horizons.

In November 2019, it brought in Roger Federer not just as an ambassador but as an investor and strategic partner. The Swiss tennis legend later developed his own signature line with On, becoming the template for what a deep, athlete-driven collaboration can look like.

Mbappé is now set to front the football version of that project.

“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 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 message is clear: this is not just a logo swap. Mbappé wants a say in what lands on players’ feet.

A familiar path, a new chapter

There is a clear precedent. Federer also walked away from a long-standing relationship with Nike to join forces with On, eventually becoming a shareholder and leading his own product line. That move helped On step out of its niche and into the global spotlight.

Mbappé’s decision carries similar weight, but in a different arena. Football is bigger, noisier, more crowded. Breaking into that space requires more than a clever campaign; it needs a genuine star prepared to carry the project.

By severing ties with Nike after nearly two decades, Mbappé closes a defining chapter in modern football marketing. He leaves behind a brand that helped shape his rise and a boot line built around his name.

In return, he gains something rarer: the chance to shape a new football collection from the ground up, and to put his fingerprints not just on the game, but on the gear that will try to change it.