Nike have etched their name into the football culture ever since the 1970s.
Launching their first ever football boot aptly named 'The Nike' in 1971, the worldwide phenomenon soon began to dip their feet into the kit and sponsorship market soon after. They have remained there ever since.
A global powerhouse, MLS side Portland Timbers were the first side to wear their kits and now they sponsor some of the biggest teams and players across the globe. Here, FourFourTwo looks at the biggest names on their player roster in 2025...
Who are Nike's top ten athletes in 2025? 10. Sam Kerr
Leading the way in the women's game, Sam Kerr has worked with Nike since March 2019 and has featured heavily in their continued promotion and advertisements ever since.
The Australian forward will reportedly earn an additional $1million (£772,000) from her 13-year-deal with the company on top of her extra sponsorship deals with MasterCard and EA Sports.
9. Jamal Musiala
An up-and-comer to make the list, Jamal Musiala is destined for a career at the top level and at 22, the Bayern Munich star has the world at his feet.
Musiala has been spotted in commercials for the 'Mercurial Superflys' and 'Tiempos' in the past and we expected him to feature even heavily in years to come for the sporting giants.
8. Robert Lewandowski
Coming the latter end of his career, FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has been with Nike since the early 2010s but his influence remains the same.
The Pole is a huge coup in infiltrating the eastern European market and has been a huge brand ambassador during his time in Germany and Spain over the last two decades.
7. Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has been at the peak of his defensive powers ever since his 2015 move to Anfield and Nike have been riding the wave ever since.
The Dutchman is estimated to earn an extra £2 million a year from his endorsements with the sporting powerhouses and is often seen on commercials year-after-year.
6. Marcus Rashford
England players are often forgotten about in recent years, especially given other players of Marcus Rashford's PR calibre and tied into long-term brand deals elsewhere.
Rashford has been with Nike since 2021 after he signed a seven-year deal with the company.
5. Ronaldinho
Sporting influences don't come much bigger than Ronaldinho and the fact he still features in their adverts some seven years after his retirement speaks volumes!
Having now worked with the Brazilian magician for 20 years, the former Barcelona man has taken Nike's South American by storm and continues to do so until this very day.
4. Vinicius Jr
The natural heir to Neymar's thrown, Vinicius Jr is part of the next way of South American stars and it is no surprise Nike snapped to sign him up back in 2013. He was just 13 at the time.
A high-profile fued played out in 2022 during the FIFA World Cup, where the Real Madrid star claimed he 'didn't feel fairly treated' by the brand. All was forgotten a year later as he signed a bumper deal.
3. Erling Haaland
The Norwiegan wonderkid, Erling Haaland has now worked with Nike since he was 14. Sporting their products as a brand ambassador since he was a teenager, he extended his affiliation by signing a ten-year deal in 2023.
Having been courted by adidas and Puma in the past, the Manchester City star continues to redefine football with his record-breaking goalscoring and it is no surprise Nike snapped him up when they did.
2. Kylian Mbappe
The poster boy for the post-Cristiano Ronaldo market in our eyes, Kylian Mbappe's recent move to Real Madrid has only increased his marketability for Nike.
Bursting onto the scene at Monaco, the France international is arguably the most well-known centre forward on the planet and is set to release his latest collab with Nike, Air Zoom Mercurial, which is now into its fifth release.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo's lifetime partnership with Nike is estimated to be worth $1billion (£761 million). One of their most lucrative athletes, the former Real Madrid man has arguably the biggest lure of an athlete in the world.
His social media following along would be enough of a pull but given he has also played for some of the biggest clubs and continues to perform at the ripe old age of 40, it speaks volumes about the character of the man.
