Antoine Griezmann has ended his career-long association with Puma and signed for French sports brand Decathlon.
The France World Cup winner has been wearing blacked-out boots in recent matches with rumours swirling over who Griezmann would sign for after leaving Puma at the end of last season.
And Decathlon have won the race to sign the 33-year-old as they strive to increase their presence in the global game.
Decathlon became the suppliers for UEFA’s Europa League and Conference balls this season – through their Kipsta brand – and the signing and Griezmann is their latest statement of intent.
The Atletico Madrid star will not only become the face of the company’s football line but play a creative role in the brand’s design process, collaborating on new products.
Now the deal is official, his blacked-out boots – which were Decathlon boots in disguise – will be replaced by a hi-vis yellow edition of the Kipsta CLR.
World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann is the new face of French sports brand Decathlon
As part of the deal, Griezmann will play a creative role in designing new products for Decathlon
Griezmann had been wearing blacked-out boots as rumours over a new deal swirled
‘I am thrilled to join Decathlon as an ambassador for a brand that embodies key values for me,’ said Griezmann.
‘By making football accessible to everyone through inclusive, innovative, and high-performing products, Decathlon allows people to experience the magic of this universal sport that I’ve had the joy of playing for over 20 years now.
‘This new adventure is truly inspiring for me, as it offers me a unique opportunity to directly contribute to the co-creation of products that I will use on the field, including boots that push the boundaries of performance even further.’
The deal is another blow for Puma who, just last month, faced a marketing disaster when Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella threw their £220 boots in the bin after twice slipping in his side’s clash with Tottenham.
After the second slip, Cucurella ran over the to the touchline and changed into a different pair of Puma boots.
Decathlon will be anxious to avoid any similar slip-ups as they seek to break the big-three dominance in football of Puma, Adidas and Nike.