On Is Taking Its Swiss Design Language to Football, With Mbappé Leading the Way

Swiss brand On has officially announced its move into football, signing Kylian Mbappé, Thierry Henry and Barcelona midfielder Sydney Schertenleib.

Known for its distinctive approach to running, performance footwear and contemporary design, On is now taking that visual and technical language into football.

Mbappé becomes a global ambassador and will work directly with the brand on future football footwear and apparel, while Henry takes on the newly created role of Director of Football.

Schertenleib’s involvement is particularly notable. Her role means the women’s game is part of the product conversation from the beginning, rather than being treated as an afterthought. She will work with On on development and testing, bringing her perspective into products intended for the future of women’s football.

The brand launch approach is rethinking the relationship between performance, design and football culture. Its own language points towards the pitch, the pavement and the runway, suggesting that what a football product looks and feels like away from matchday is just as important as its technical credentials.

That idea comes through strongly in the launch imagery. Shot by German fashion photographer Juergen Teller inside On’s Zurich Labs, Mbappé, Henry and Schertenleib appear among the machinery, prototypes and experimentation behind the brand’s technology.

At the centre of the product story is LightSpray, On’s robotic manufacturing technology. The brand is adapting the technology to football with the aim of creating footwear that is exceptionally lightweight and precise, while working directly with elite players throughout the development process.

And with Mbappé as the face of the move, Henry shaping its football direction, On’s first chapter in football already feels distinctly different from the usual boot launch.