Can Soccer Star Kylian Mbappé Be the Next Travis Kelce or LeBron James?
When the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place in 11 U.S. cities over the summer, it gave casual fans a chance to watch some of the sport’s superstars they ordinarily wouldn’t see play.
Sure, Americans already knew players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but there were a few others who are so popular abroad and now have that recognition stateside. But could any of those international stars transcend sports in the U.S. and become the next Travis Kelce or LeBron James?
Here’s what sports finance expert Professor Rob Wilson had to say about Kylian Mbappé‘s chances of doing that.
James built an off-court empire of media, philanthropy, and cultural commentary, remaining globally recognizable, while Kelce’s relationship with the biggest pop star on the planet brought an additional level of mainstream and worldwide attention. Ttheir identities now extend beyond statistics and championships into media, commercial ventures, fashion, community work, and popular culture. Therefore, both have built public profiles that reach audiences far outside the traditional boundaries of professional sports.
So can the Real Madrid forward, who is also the captain of France’s national team, do the same?
Speaking on behalf of CanadaSportsBetting, Professor Wilson told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Mohamed Salah all have enormous global brands… However, if you’re a product designer for a brand and you’re looking to build something new and lasting in the [soccer] space, particularly for the next decade or so, you’re not going near those players because they will all retire soon. Mbappé gives you that difference to drive the next generation to your brand, and the one after that potentially too.
“Mbappé is, of course, already a global superstar, but his most defining years are still ahead of him, and that period of his career will be magnified too once the likes of Ronaldo, Messi, and Salah hang their boots up. All eyes will be on the likes of Mbappé to prove they can step up and take their place. He’s also at Real Madrid, one of the most iconic club brands in world football. He’s won a World Cup and been man of the match in his second appearance at a World Cup final. He’s got enormous social reach and operates quite comfortably beyond football in different markets.”
The expert continued, “That allows Mbappé to move beyond the On deal being a simple endorsement, and that equity component suggests that they want him associated with the company and brand on a deeper level, for many years to come. It makes it a compelling opportunity for him.
“Mbappe can transcend sports, and that really matters in the USA where the market remains quite fragmented. On already enjoys huge exposure there on an individual level, and the Americas represent about 60% of their sales in 2025, so this isn’t a European brand using Mbappe to sell football boots to France and Spain.”
Professor Wilson concluded, “This is about using a superstar to access a much bigger market and signal their broader ambitions and objectives. You need somebody in that context who can sit with American sports stars and popular culture in the way that LeBron James or Travis Kelce have, while also bringing in an enormous global soccer audience too.
“Mbappe doesn’t occupy the same position in everyday American culture as LeBron or Kelce, but the 2026 World Cup has accelerated the visibility of football, or soccer, to US audiences. Mbappe can be that bridge between the largest commercial market in the world and the world’s biggest sport. That’s why On have signed him up, to use Mbappe to open up the U.S. market and turn On into a genuinely global sports brand, in football or soccer and beyond.”
