Official: Kylian Mbappé leaves Nike to join running giant On

On has officially announced its move into football alongside Kylian Mbappé. For the Swiss brand, built on a history in running, signing France’s all-time leading scorer is about far more than adding a superstar: it marks a new stage in On’s transformation into a global sportswear company.

Baptiste Chassagne, Nicolas Navarro, Floriane Hot and Agathe Guillemot now have a new teammate at On. On Friday, the Swiss brand officially announced the arrival of Kylian Mbappé, who leaves Nike after more than 15 years of collaboration. Beyond the media impact, the partnership gives On a way into a new sporting arena without abandoning its core identity. Since 2010, the brand has built its reputation in running through engineering, design and product innovation. It now plans to apply the same approach to football.

From running to football

On is not entering football with a history of making boots, but with expertise in movement and performance. The brand wants to work directly with elite players to design and test its future products. The main challenge will be transferring its running expertise to a sport with very different demands: acceleration, changes of direction, lateral support, traction and precise ball contact.

At the heart of this strategy is LightSpray, its robotic manufacturing technology developed for running. It creates an upper from a continuously sprayed filament. On now says it plans to adapt the process to the demands of football, with one goal: equipment that is ever lighter, more precise and better fitted.

Mbappé, development partner

Kylian Mbappé will be more than the face of the new range. He is also expected to work with On’s product teams on the development and testing of future equipment. His profile makes him a particularly demanding proving ground: speed, explosiveness, rapid changes of direction and a constant pursuit of lightness. The partnership follows a familiar method in running: bringing athletes and engineers together to improve the product directly.

Thierry Henry and Sydney Schertenleib join the project

On is also drawing on Thierry Henry, who has been appointed Director of Football. The former world champion is involved in the strategic, cultural and product aspects of the brand’s development in football. Swiss international and FC Barcelona player Sydney Schertenleib is also taking part in the development and testing of On Football products, with a particular focus on the women’s game.

The real test will be the product

Signing Kylian Mbappé gives On instant visibility. But the brand’s place in football will be determined on the pitch. After establishing its credibility in running, On must now prove that its engineering can meet the sport’s specific demands. Fit, stability, traction, precision, comfort and lightness will all have to pass the test.

That is what makes this diversification particularly interesting to running observers: On is not changing its method, only the field on which it applies it. With Mbappé in football and Roger Federer in tennis, the brand is accelerating its development as a global sportswear company while keeping product innovation as its common thread. The next appointment, then, will be with the product. The question is what a brand born in running can deliver on a football pitch.