Thierry Henry on Lewis-Skelly
Thierry Henry on Lewis-Skelly
Sportswear companies have spent years circling football without always changing how the game looks or feels. Running brands, tennis deals and lifestyle lines now sit next to boots and training kit, and the next wave is being built in labs as much as on the pitch.
That shift has opened a second career path for former players. The job is no longer only punditry or a coaching badge. Some are being asked to shape products, sign athletes and decide how a brand talks about the sport.
When a company that made its name away from football finally steps in, the first names it attaches to the project tend to tell you how serious it is.
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On announced on Friday that it is entering football with Kylian Mbappé as the face of the project, and that Thierry Henry has been named Director of Football. The Arsenal legend has been working behind the scenes with the Swiss brand since late 2025 on its product approach and launch.
Henry, a World Cup winner with France and one of the club’s greatest forwards, will help shape strategy across product, athlete relationships and how On talks about the culture of the game.
“Building something new in football requires a bold and original approach,” Henry said. “Over the past year, I’ve seen first-hand the curiosity and attention to detail the team at On brings to that process. We want to listen to players, understand what they need and create something that can genuinely add to the game. I’m proud to be part of shaping what comes next.”
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Mbappé will work directly with On’s product teams on future boots and apparel and become a global ambassador. The Real Madrid forward is leaving a long association with Nike to join the 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. “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.”
On founder and co-CEO David Allemann said the brand did not want to copy what already exists. “Football doesn’t need another sportswear brand to do more of the same,” he said. “Football needs new ideas and a challenge to what is possible. When we enter a sport, we want to be the brand of the future – through true innovation and contemporary design. Our ambition is to bring On’s approach to the pitch, the pavement, and the runway – connecting elite performance with the culture that surrounds the game. With Kylian we have the perfect partner to dream what football can become.”
Barcelona and Switzerland midfielder Sydney Schertenleib is also part of the football group after joining On last December. The brand says it will use its LightSpray technology on elite football footwear, with retail boots not expected until 2027.
For Arsenal supporters the headline is simpler. Henry now has an official title in a new football division, and one of the world’s biggest players is on the same project.