Skechers snaps Nike-Adidas dominance at the Ballon d'Or

The American footwear brand has claimed football's top individual honor through signature ambassador Harry Kane.

ane's victory ends a 22-year streak during which the Ballon d'Or was won exclusively by athletes endorsed by the sport's two largest manufacturers. The last player outside the Adidas-Nike ecosystem to claim the award was Andriy Shevchenko in 2004 as the face of Lotto.

 Across the 21st century, Adidas leads the brand standings with 12 winners (nine by Messi, along with Kaká, Benzema, and Dembélé), while Nike follows in second with 10 (five by Cristiano Ronaldo, alongside Modric, Cannavaro, Ronaldinho, and Ronaldo Nazário). Other century winners include Michael Owen for Umbro (2001) and Pavel Nedvěd for Uhlsport (2003).

 Harry Kane joined Skechers in 2023 under a lifetime deal that marked the brand's high-profile entry into performance football. To commemorate his Ballon d'Or victory, Skechers is set to drop a limited-edition boot collection, continuing its tradition of special-edition releases for major career milestones.