Nike Has Fundamentally Changed Its Strategy In Football
Feb 19, 2021, by Chris
Some weeks ago, we reported that Nike has lost more than 20 important footballers in the few months. This trend did not stop since then - what is (really) going on at Nike?
First, and most importantly, in contrast to Under Armour, who lost various athletes, Nike is anything but not short of money.
Nike is anything but short of money
Nike for the last time reported their results in late 2020, and they were positive. In the second quarter for Nike that ended on 30 November 2020, revenues for the NIKE Brand were $10.7 billion, an increase of 8 percent to prior year on a currency-neutral basis. This was driven by strong double-digit growth in NIKE Direct, as well as growth in Sportswear and the Jordan Brand, slightly offset by mid single-digit declines in our wholesale business.
So what is the reason for Nike to lose their players? We think it is totally intended by Nike and they just did let the deals run out of many of their best players (or just did not make a good / reasonable offer).
Nike Puts Focus On Women's Soccer Since 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup
Instead of investing in hundreds of high-profile male footballers, Nike decided to put more focus on Women's football and sport in general.
In fact, Nike already announced in mid-2019 that they will put more focus on Women's football and in its development. This new strategy was first visible and presented during the 2019 Woman's FIFA World Cup when Nike invited various media to talk about their new Woman's strategy.
"As we speak, we're creating an even deeper emotional connection to consumers through the Women's World Cup in France," said Nike CEO Mark Parker during an earnings call on June 27 2019.
Female athletes worldwide are engaging with sport like never before
"We can feel the World Cup's energy and impact throughout our growing women's business. Female athletes worldwide are engaging with sport like never before," said Rosemary St. Clair, VP/GM, Nike Women, in a statement. "Whether it's unprecedented sell-through on national team kits, popularity for high-performance bras, or global impressions of our campaign, we're ecstatic about how this summer has contributed to the acceleration of our women's offense at Nike."
This new strategy becomes obvious when scrolling through Nike's images on social media. The brand's Nike Football Instagram and Twitter accounts feature around the same amount of male and women athletes.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Ada Hegerberg were the two faces for the launch of the 2021 Nike Mercurial
The next-generation Nike Mercurial 2021 football boot was debuted by and promoted with two Nike athletes - Cristiano Ronaldo and Ada Hegerberg ( 2018 Ballon d'Or Féminin winner).
However, the new strategy does not mean that Nike says goodbye to sponsoring high-profile male footballers completely. Instead, we think Nike will put even more focus on a few of the best (and most marketable) soccer players - it is just not their aim anymore to sponsor the majority of all footballers.
As of today, Nike is still sponsoring more than 50% of all Premier League footballers.
"I think this is a tipping point for our brand and for women's sports going forward," said John Hoke, Nike's VP, global design, during a presentation of the brand's upcoming women's innovations in 2019.
What do you think of Nike's strategy to put more focus on Women's football / soccer? Do you think Nike will lose more players in the next few months? Comment below.
Boca Juniors 26-27 Kit Font Inspired by Historic 1932 Emblem
Boca Juniors has revealed the custom typography for player names and numbers on their 26-27 home kit. Designed in collaboration with Adidas, the new font draws direct inspiration from the club's historic 1932 emblem, bringing a classic geometric touch to the modern jersey.
The original 1932 shield featured distinctive angular lettering for the CABJ monogram inside the central yellow band. The new kit font replicates these sharp diagonal cuts and structured proportions across all letters and numbers.
Tigres 26-27 Away Kit Spotted for Sale
The new Adidas Tigres UANL 26-27 away jersey has been spotted available for purchase in physical stores across Mexico prior to its official launch. Thanks to @TigresJersey for the spot.
Adidas has opted for a dark navy base with vibrant gold detailing for the 26-27 away shirt, paying homage to the club's classic 1979-1980 design. The defining element of the jersey is the returning gold chest band containing stylized retro TIGRES typography, bordered by thin gold stripes.
Further enhancing the vintage aesthetic, the kit features the iconic Adidas Originals Trefoil logo centrally placed on the chest, flanked by a retro U club crest and historic Cemex Monterrey branding. Gold sponsor logos and the classic Three Stripes on the shoulders complete the throwback look.
Pinterest Becomes Standalone Back-of-Shirt Sponsor for Brighton Women
Brighton & Hove Albion Women have agreed a four-year partnership deal with social media platform Pinterest. The agreement sees Pinterest become the club's first-ever standalone sponsor specifically for the women's team, featuring as a lower back-of-shirt sponsor on Brighton Women's kits starting from the 26-27 season.
Unfortunately, the Pinterest logo comes in unfitting red.
The newly branded kits featuring Pinterest on the back are set to make their official on-pitch debut during Brighton Women's pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain at the Amex Stadium on August 9.
Hércules 26-27 Home Kit Released
Spanish club Hércules CF and technical sponsor Kappa have officially unveiled the new home shirt for the 26-27 season. Following the release of their summer pre-season shirts, the Alicante-based side now presents their primary kit for the upcoming league campaign.
The Hércules CF 26-27 home jersey features traditional broad blue and white vertical stripes paired with a classic white polo collar. Kappa's signature Omini logos line the white sleeve panels in blue, matched by the chest logo and a subtle embossed watermark pattern throughout the fabric. Main sponsor EKOKAI features prominently across the center chest in black.
The Hércules CF 26-27 home kit was officially released on August 4 and is now available via the club's official store.
Juventus 26-27 Third Kit Leaked - Full Look
Official preview images of the Adidas Juventus 26-27 third kit have leaked online, showcasing the full uniform including the shirt, shorts, and socks. Shared by Juventus shirt account @La_Bianconera, the new photos provide a complete look at the final design ahead of its official launch.
The Juventus 26-27 third kit features a sleek black base highlighted by metallic gold accents on the Adidas logo, Juventus crest, Jeep sponsor, and three stripes along the shoulders. A grey flame graphic rises from the bottom hem across both the front and back of the shirt. On the upper back under the collar, a gold sign-off reads "YOUTH SINCE 1897", referencing the Latin root of the club's name.
Matching black shorts and black socks, both featuring gold Adidas stripes and logos, complete the full kit ensemble. Adidas is set to officially release the Juventus 26-27 third strip later this month.
Nike Cryo Shot Mercurial Vapor 1 OG Chrome Leaked
Nike is continuing to expand its lifestyle lineup by giving another historic football boot the street-ready treatment. Via @sneakermarketro, we have images of the upcoming Nike Cryo Shot Mercurial Vapor 1 OG in the iconic Chrome colorway, scheduled to release later in 2026.
The Cryo Shot series reimagines classic pitch footwear for everyday wear by preserving the original upper design and encasing the stud structure inside a clear, molded rubber midsole.
Inspired by the famous 2002 Nike Mercurial Vapor 1 worn by Ronaldo Nazario at the 2002 World Cup, this lifestyle sneaker closely follows the original aesthetics. The shoe features a metallic silver upper decorated with signature debossed speed lines along the sidewalls, a black lateral Swoosh, and bright volt green lining around the collar and heel. L
Underfoot, the defining clear translucent sole unit showcases the original stud configuration frozen within the durable street rubber.
Carrying the style code IQ8161-001, the Nike Cryo Shot Mercurial Vapor 1 OG Chrome is expected to launch in late 2026 with a retail price tag of $200.
Hércules CF 26-27 Home Kit Released
Spanish club Hércules CF and kit supplier Kappa have officially unveiled the new home shirt for the 26-27 season.
The Hércules CF 26-27 home jersey features traditional broad blue and white vertical stripes paired with a classic white polo collar. Kappa's signature Omini logos line the white sleeve panels in blue, matched by the chest logo and a subtle embossed watermark pattern throughout the fabric. Main sponsor EKOKAI features prominently on the center chest.
The Hércules CF 26-27 home kit went on sale August 4 and is available via the club's official store and Kappa for 79 Euros.
UD Ibiza 26-27 Home Kit Released - Designed by Brain Dead
Spanish club UD Ibiza has officially launched its home kit for the 26-27 season. Replacing previous kit supplier Puma, the club has partnered with global creative collective Brain Dead to design a unique jersey that blends football culture with streetwear aesthetics.
The UD Ibiza 26-27 home jersey features the club's signature sky blue base accented with white side paneling and subtle fabric texturing. Brain Dead's iconic head profile outline replaces the traditional kit manufacturer logo on the right chest, while a classic polo collar and matching sleeve cuffs showcase a grid-patterned knit in dark blue and yellow.
Boca Juniors Launch 26-27 Home Kit
Boca Juniors and Adidas have officially launched the new 26-27 home kit, bringing a brighter shade of blue back to the Argentine giants following the darker blue scheme worn in the previous campaign. The design stays true to the club's iconic identity, anchored by the signature bold yellow horizontal stripe running across the chest.
The 26-27 jersey features a yellow V-neck collar paired with yellow Adidas three stripes across the shoulders. Main sponsor Betsson is positioned in dark blue text inside the central yellow band, while sleeve sponsor Cetrogar appears in yellow. The traditional star-filled Boca Juniors crest is embroidered on the left chest, accompanied by a yellow sign-off reading Xeneize on the upper back collar.
EAFC Kit Creator Teases Brand-New Mobile UI
EAFC Kit Creator has revealed a first look at a brand-new mobile user interface, which is currently nearing release. The popular online tool allows creators to build custom kits for EA Sports FC and FIFA, and the upcoming update is designed to make designing on mobile devices significantly easier and more intuitive.
Crucially, the landscape view is replaced by a much more efficient portrait format, which way better uses the space.
Nike Cryo Shot Zoom M9 OG 'Mia Hamm' Shoes Leaked
Nike is set to expand its street football lifestyle lineup with the upcoming release of the Nike Cryo Shot Zoom M9 OG. Following the earlier launch of the Virgil Abloh Archives collaboration, this iteration brings back the classic colorway made famous by USWNT legend Mia Hamm during her historic 1999 Women's World Cup campaign. Huge thanks to @sneakermarketro for the leak.
The sneaker faithfully recreates the iconic design of the original boot, featuring a black quilted upper contrasted by a clean white heel counter and red accents. Nike's Cryo Shot technology encapsulates the original studded sole inside a transparent rubber outsole, allowing the pitch aesthetic to be worn on everyday streets while maintaining comfort and traction.
The Nike Cryo Shot Zoom M9 OG Mia Hamm is scheduled to release in early 2027 for a retail price of $200 via Nike SNKRS and select stockists.
FC Lugano 26-27 Away Kit Released
FC Lugano and kit supplier Erreà have officially launched the club's new away kit for the 26-27 Swiss Super League season. Following the reveal of their third shirt earlier this summer, the new away uniform introduces a sharp monochrome look for the Swiss side.
The Erreà FC Lugano 26-27 away jersey features an all-white base accented with black contrast piping, collar trim, and sleeve cuffs. A key element of the design is the subtle tone-on-tone V pattern integrated into the shoulders and upper chest, paying homage to the club's traditional V motif. Black club badges, brand markings, and sponsor logos complete the clean aesthetic