Remember when advertising alone could make you want a pair of football boots? For me, you’d have to go back to 2014. In the run-up to the World Cup, Nike released some all-time promotional videos for their newest products, which had me and every other ten-year-old begging their parents for the boots that suddenly had built-in socks. ‘Winner Stays On’ successfully made me think I was Neymar, and although I looked more like an excited puppy on the pitch, the point remains — Nike were producing something new.
In the 12 years since, I haven’t seen anything as exciting come from the brand’s football program, which is perhaps why they’re haemorrhaging athletes. Neymar has since left for Puma, Martin Odegaard switched to Adidas, and Kylian Mbappé announced last week his partnership with On, ending a near 20-year association with Nike.
Mbappé’s move is arguably Nike’s biggest-ever loss, and a bad omen for the brand. While I could list the numerous reasons for his stardom, I’ll put it simply: Mbappé’s stock is up, Nike’s is down.
For the Frenchman, now the World Cup all-time top scorer, his defection to On is one which could consolidate his status as (arguably) the best player in the world. He joins the brand at the very beginning of its foray into the sport, and has reportedly been given equity in the company. And while the market’s biggest fish manage a number of the world’s best footballers, Mbappé gets to be special.
This is exactly what On will want. 16 years young, the Swiss brand (backed by Roger Federer) have developed premium tennis, running, and fitness product lines, garnering a reputation for their innovation. In their first venture into football, they’ve secured one of the sport’s most marketable athletes, as well as Barcelona and Switzerland wunderkind Sydney Schertenleib.
You may be thinking: “So what? Harry Kane signed for Skechers.” Simply put, Skechers is still widely regarded as a high-volume lifestyle shoemaker, not a performance sports brand. On, however, are proven at an elite level, and have cultivated a bold, unique brand image. With Mbappé on the books, they will be taken seriously.
It’s fair to say that fans have felt fatigued by football brands’ products recently, and On are looking to disrupt a seemingly homogenous industry. The likes of Nike, Puma, and Adidas are right to feel the pressure.
“Kylian Mbappe France v Senegal 16 June 2026-354” by Bryan Berlin is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
