All Nike Players Who Left Brand in 2023
Dec 7, 2023, by Phan Tich Giay
- Nike Player Departures: Many star players have officially left Nike in 2023, with some contracts not being renewed.
- Puma and Adidas Gains: Players leaving Nike have primarily joined Puma and Adidas.
- Trend of Player Departures: A significant number of players have left Nike not only in 2023 but also in previous years.
Update: Since September until now, many more players have left Nike and will continue to do so. Let's take a look at these players with Footy Headlines.
Since the beginning of 2023, many of Nike's star players have officially left this sports brand, with some players rumored not to have had their contracts renewed by Nike. Let's sum up these players with Footy Headlines.
The players have officially left Nike
Players who have officially left Nike have joined Puma or Adidas.
Kai Havertz
In mid-September, Kai Havertz was spotted wearing blackout Puma Future Ultimate boots instead of Nike Phantom GX during a game against the German national team. About a month later, Puma officially announced a long-term relationship with Kai Havertz.
Dani Carvajal
After spending his entire career with Nike, Dani Carvajal officially joined Puma at the end of October.
Alexandre Lacazette
Lacazette follows in the footsteps of many to leave Nike for Puma.
Lisandaro Martinez
Lisandro Martinez left Nike and switched to Adidas X Speedportal shoes from the start of the 2022 World Cup. Then, in early 2023, Licha and Adidas officially announced a long-term partnership.
Jack Grealish
Although Jack Grealish was one of the first Nike players to wear the Phantom GX boots at the 2022 World Cup, by the end of that tournament, Jack was wearing blackout Phantom GX boots. The player then officially parted ways with Nike and joined Puma.
Mateo Kovacic
After the 2022 World Cup, Kovacic switched from his usual Nike Mercurial Vapor boots to Puma Ultra Ultimate boots. In March 3023, Puma officially announced a new contract with Kovacic.
Manuel Akanji
Not as high profile as the names above, Akanji is another player who has switched from Nike to Puma Future Ultimate for 2023.
Ousmane Dembélé
Dembele was spotted wearing Puma Ultra Ultimate shoes at the end of April 2023. But now, Dembele has been wearing Adidas X Crazyfast boots in official PSG matches. Although no official announcement has been made, it looks like Dembele will be signing with Adidas.
Harry Kane
On 17 August, Skechers officially announced a long-term deal with star footballer Harry Kane, ending the partnership between Harry Kane and Nike.
The players rumored to be leaving Nike
These players are likely to be in the final stages of their Nike contracts, so have been found to have worn other sports shoes during training and then returned to wearing Nike shoes for official matches.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Despite an excellent 2022-23 season and continued good form this season, Nike appears to have little interest in renewing Kvara's contract. At the end of October Kvarat wore Puma Future Ultimate boots and a few days ago he wore next-gen Adidas Predator 2024 boots. This shows that he will be joining Puma or Adidas in the near future.
Matthijs de Ligt
After more than a year with Nike, De Ligt regularly wore the Phantom GT and later the Phantom GX. But in recent training, De Ligt returned to the shoe line he regularly wore in the past - Adidas X. This shows that De Ligt is likely to leave Nike and return to Adidas.
Cristian Romero
During a training session with the Argentina squad in mid-November, Romero was spotted wearing Adidas X Crazyfast boots instead of the familiar Nike Mercurial Vapor, indicating that he is likely to leave Nike for Adidas soon.
Dušan Vlahović
Vlahovic recently wore the Adidas X Crazyfast with Nike Mercurial Vapor 15 during Juventus matches. This shows that he may be joining Adidas in the near future.
Riyad Mahrez
Mahrez was first spotted wearing Puma Ultra Ultimate shoes in late January 2023, and then also wore Puma Future Ultimate shoes during a Manchester City training session. To date, however, Mahrez still wears Nike Mercurial Superfly boots for official matches. It is unclear whether or not Mahrez will leave Nike to join Puma.
Aubameyang
Although he is known to regularly use custom Nike Mercurial, Aubameyang recently wore the Adidas X Crazyfast during a training session with Olympique de Marseille, suggesting that he may ditch Nike in the near future.
Alisson Becker
Alisson Becker has covered the Nike logo on his gloves with tape. This shows that his contract with Nike has probably expired and he is looking for a new sports brand.
Fran Garcia
Fran Garcia painted his Nike Mercurial Superfly boots black during recent Real Madrid matches, which confirms Fran Garcia's contract with Nike has expired.
Theo Hernandez
Theo Hernandez also wore the Adidas X Crazyfast boots during a recent AC Milan training session. It's possible that his contract with Nike is about to expire and that Nike have no intention of renewing it.
Enzo Fernández
Enzo is the latest player to ditch Nike boots. He wore Puma Ultra Ultimate boots at Chelsea's recent training session and many believe he will sign a contract with Puma in the near future.
Despite owning many excellent young stars such as Marcus Rashford, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, it won't be good if Nike continues to let its other stars leave.
Not only in 2023, but also in recent years, the number of players leaving Nike for other sports brands has been very high.
Do you think Nike should be worried about losing more players to other sports brands? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Melbourne City 26-27 Home, Away & Third Kits Released
Puma and A-League club Melbourne City FC have officially unveiled their complete kit collection for the 26-27 campaign. Launched under the campaign tagline 'Made of City', the three-kit drop blends the club's signature identity with Melbourne street culture and club heritage.
The Melbourne City 26-27 home shirt stays true to tradition, centered around the iconic City Blue base. Drawing inspiration directly from the club badge, red and yellow trim accents decorate the collar and sleeve cuffs. Meanwhile, the away kit leans into nocturnal Melbourne fashion, pairing a deep plum jersey with an abstract zig-zag graphic and vibrant shimmer pink branding across all sponsor prints and the club crest.
Rounding out the lineup is the 26-27 third kit, which pays homage to the club's origins as Melbourne Heart. The shirt combines a crisp off-white base with red accents and incorporates a subtle heartbeat graphic emerging across the chest from behind the crest. A heart motif inside the collar completes the tribute. The new collection is available through Melbourne City's online store and Puma Australia.
AC Mestre 26-27 Third Kit Released
Italian Serie D club AC Mestre has officially unveiled its new third kit for the 26-27 campaign, manufactured once again by Japanese sportswear brand Mizuno. The new drop follows the earlier presentations of the club's home and away shirts, completing their kit lineup for the new season.
The Mizuno AC Mestre 26-27 third shirt introduces a sleek and stealthy design, dominated by a black base accented by vibrant orange details. Bright orange trim lines the V-neck collar and broad sleeve cuffs, while both the Mizuno Runbird logo and the AC Mestre crest are rendered in matching monochrome orange. A subtle jacquard pattern is also incorporated across the front fabric, adding depth to the understated look.
Black shorts and socks with orange detailing complete the full AC Mestre 26-27 third uniform.
Video: FC Barcelona 27-28 Home Kit
Based on leaked images, Footy Headlines can bring you a 360º video of Barcelona’s 2027-28 home kit, created using Kit Creator.
Adidas to Launch Arsenal 26-27 Spezial Collection
Adidas is expanding its terrace-rooted Spezial F.C. label to the Emirates, with a newly surfaced teaser confirming an upcoming Arsenal SPZL F.C. collection. Thanks to @IamCrisJ.
The teaser reveals the collaborative Arsenal SPZL F.C. insignia, presenting the club's heritage cannon emblem and "AFC" cannonballs in red set above a red-bordered box housing the Trefoil and "adidas SPEZIAL F.C." branding in gold. Following the blueprint established by previous SPZL F.C. club projects, the range will lean heavily into retro football culture, archival tailoring, and casual terrace style.
The upcoming Arsenal SPZL F.C. range will include bespoke footwear and lifestyle apparel, slated for release through ArsenalDirect, adidas, and select Spezial retailers.
Adidas Colo-Colo EQT Collection Leaked
Adidas is expanding its 1990s-inspired EQT lifestyle range to South America, with official images of the upcoming Colo-Colo EQT collection leaking online. Following recent retro drops for European giants such as Bayern Munich and Juventus, the Chilean club is set to receive its own heritage capsule steeped in unmistakable nineties football culture. Big thanks to @KamilBerberler.
The centerpiece of the range is a retro shirt dominated by Colo-Colo's traditional white, accented by subtle tonal shadow stripes running vertically down the body. It features oversized three stripes sweeping over the shoulders in bold black and red, paired with a chunky ribbed V-neck collar. Staying true to the era, the classic Adidas wordmark and Trefoil are placed centrally on the chest just above the iconic club crest.
Complementing the jersey, the wider lifestyle capsule includes a color-blocked track jacket, matching track pants, a graphic t-shirt, and a relaxed crewneck sweatshirt. The entire collection maintains the club's sharp black, white, and red palette, combining vintage paneling with modern streetwear silhouettes. The Adidas Colo-Colo EQT collection is slated for release in the coming weeks.
Kit Blunder: Matheus Cunha Wears Inverted Sleeve Badges in Manchester Derby
Manchester United striker Matheus Cunha was spotted sporting an unusual kit detail during Sunday's Manchester derby against Manchester City. Eagle-eyed kit enthusiasts quickly pointed out that the Brazilian forward took to the pitch with his sleeve badges completely reversed on his 26-27 home shirt.
Under standard Premier League kit regulations, the official competition badge and "No Room For Racism" patch must be applied to the player's right sleeve, while the left sleeve is reserved for the club's commercial sleeve partner. On Cunha's long-sleeve jersey, however, the configuration was flipped: the sponsor logo was applied to his right arm, leaving the Premier League badge positioned on his left sleeve.
Side-by-side images comparing Cunha's jersey to teammate Marcus Rashford clearly showed the contrast between the standard layout and Cunha's swapped sleeves. Whether caused by a mix-up in the kit room or an accidental printing error during match preparations, the subtle mistake provided a unique talking point for shirt collectors.
River Plate 26-27 Away Pre-Match Kit Leaked
Official images of the River Plate 26-27 away pre-match kit have surfaced, revealing a clean retro-inspired look produced by Adidas. Following the release of the club's tricolor away strip in August, this warm-up top expands River Plate's heritage-driven collection for the 26-27 season. Big thanks to @KamilBerberler.
The Adidas River Plate 26-27 away pre-match jersey features a crisp white body paired with bold red raglan sleeves and a matching white collar. Emphasizing the classic aesthetic, the shirt showcases the iconic Adidas Trefoil logo in red on the right chest, opposite a vintage circular CARP crest in red on the left. Across the upper back, large red block lettering spells out "RIVER" to complete the minimalist, old-school design. The shirt is paired with white shorts sporting black Three Stripes on the sides.
The new River Plate 26-27 away pre-match jersey is scheduled to be worn by the squad during warm-ups for away fixtures and will be available to purchase in the coming weeks.