Thierry Henry pushes women's boot revolution ahead of 2027 Mundial

Former France striker Thierry Henry is confronting the status quo of women’s football footwear while plotting a future where boots are built for female athletes. He says today many players are forced to wear men’s shoes, but the 2027 Mundial in Brazil could showcase a purpose‑made alternative.

Henry, now director of football at the Swiss sports brand On, is using his influence to drive product development. He works alongside football figures such as Kylian Mbappé and Sydney Schertenleib on prototypes. The former international also promotes the campaign through his Instagram account @thierryhenry.

New boots designed for women

The ex‑forward criticised the fact that many female players have to use boots created for men. “You have players using men’s shoes and that is not normal,” Henry said when discussing the need for dedicated products. He has even added On as a preferred source on Google to raise visibility for the initiative.

Kylian Mbappé recently ended his partnership with Nike to join On, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to the project. His involvement brings high‑profile attention and technical insight to the design process. Together with Schertenleib, they aim to deliver footwear that meets the specific demands of women’s Futbol.

2027 Mundial set to launch the change

Henry highlighted that the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil will be the ideal platform to introduce the new boots internationally. “The Mundial in Brazil 2027 is where we will start internationally,” he explained. He expects the tournament to spark broader industry adoption.

The proposal underscores the importance of providing athletes with equipment tailored to their physiology rather than adapting men’s models. If successful, the initiative could reshape how manufacturers approach women’s football gear across the sport.

With the backing of a former global star and the upcoming Mundial, the push for gender‑specific footwear gains momentum, signalling a potential shift in the commercial landscape of women’s Futbol.