January 27 – France World Cup winner, and long-time Atletico Madrid superstar, Antoine Griezmann has officially signed with Decathlon, the world’s largest sporting goods retailer, ending his 14-year partnership with German sportswear company Puma.
The French company has long had eyes on the charismatic, and photogenic, Griezmann, who will now become the global ambassador for the brand’s Kipsta football division.
Griezmann will play a key role in the development of future Kipsta products, with Decathlon confirming he will “actively participate in the co-design of future soccer footwear models.”
For the current season, he has been wearing a blacked-out version of their CLR boots, however, now the deal is official he will wear the white and hi-vis yellow edition of the Kipsta CLR, with a giant black Decathlon logo added for brand visibility, but for hard-core fans this version is not available to buy!
The version that will be on sale to the general public are priced very favourably though and retail for €80. The price points of these boots are a strong signal of Decathlon’s ambition to challenge the established boot market with good products at fair prices. With the traditional big three of Adidas, Nike, and Puma offering boots that can cost upwards of €400, a boot-war of sorts could be on the horizon.
Frédéric Boistard, director of collective sports at Decathlon said: “He (Greizmann) is adored in France and many other countries, including Spain, for his values, simplicity, and approachability. His influence extends beyond football!”
The partnership with Griezmann is part of Decathlon’s wider push into football, following their deals to supply match balls for UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, France’s Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, and the Belgian Pro League.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1738035847labto1738035847ofdlr1738035847owedi1738035847sni@o1738035847fni1738035847