Why Mbappé Could Leave Nike For On

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The football off-season is no stranger to dramatic contract stand-offs and bidding wars between clubs and their star players. But the biggest contract saga of the post-World Cup off-season has had nothing to do with on-pitch matters, and everything to do with what footwear Kylian Mbappé will be contracted to wear on-pitch next season and for the foreseeable future. For the last 20 years (in his 27 years of life) the answer to that question has been simple: Nike. But that may all be about to change.

Reports suggest that the France captain and Real Madrid forward has chosen not to renew his endorsement deal with Nike, ending a 20-year relationship with the brand.

This is important because Mbappé, who won the 2018 World Cup with France aged 18, is considered among the greatest talents of the modern game, with his reputation only further bolstered during the most recent World Cup, during which he won the Golden Boot award for the most goals scored (a feat he also accomplished in 2022). For years, he has been a cornerstone of Nike’s football division (not to mention a Dior ambassador, too), and it’s hard to think of a more marketable talent in men’s football in the prime of their career (Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham being obvious contenders for this title too, of course).

Over the past few months, incremental reports suggested that it was an open secret in the industry that Mbappé’s Nike deal was up for renewal this July following the World Cup. The big news, however, was that Nike’s poster boy wasn’t all that keen on renewing his contract with the sportswear giant (though of course, the outside possibility remains that all this is a very protracted bargaining tactic to sign a bumper extension with Nike). It was suggested that Adidas and Under Armour were hoping to entice Mbappé with endorsement proposals of their own, while China’s Li-Ning refuted claims it was set to sign him earlier this week.

But earlier this week, French journalist Thibaud Vézirian blew the discussion wide open when he reported that Mbappé was set to sign a deal with an “unexpected brand” looking to make a major entrance into the football market. The situation was all the more complex given that Nike is still posting about and releasing Mbappé-related products, such as the limited edition Mercurial Superfly 11 boots (cleats), wrapped in gold to celebrate his World Cup exploits.

Between chatter from sources, hints from various brands and Vézirian’s claim, the signs are pointing in one direction and one direction only: Mbappé could leave Nike to sign a one-of-a-kind partnership with On.