Cristiano Ronaldo spotted wearing shoes made by Nike’s rivals despite being ambassador and face of the brand
Cristiano Ronaldo has been snapped wearing a pair of Asics trainers despite being the face of Nike. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner usually wears clothing only from Nike, the world's largest supplier of athletic sports apparel.
Ronaldo, however, recently took a picture with friend Miguel Paixao, which the pair shared online. They posed ahead of a game of padel tennis, and the iconic forward was seen wearing Asics trainers.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been a Nike ambassador for over 20 years, and has a lifetime deal with the American company. During his illustrious career, he's worn 70 different pairs of football boots; Ronaldo is synonymous with the Nike swoosh in football.
According to SPORTbible, the Al-Nassr superstar earns a reported £147 million per year from Nike, and can order whatever he wants through a secret website. He is rarely, if ever, seen wearing any other sports apparel.
Ronaldo has worn Louis Vuitton and Gucci in the past, but they aren't direct competitors to Nike in the running shoe market. He was reportedly seen wearing Adidas shinpads during a pre-season game between Al-Nassr and Celta Vigo last year.
Ronaldo and Nike's relationship began around 2003 and has led to major success for both parties. They signed a lifetime deal in 2016, which is a rarity in the world of sport.
Nike once forced Cristiano Ronaldo to cancel his own brand of trainers
Cristiano Ronaldo was forced to discontinue his own trainer brand in 2015 after Nike reacted negatively to his launch of the label. The line was named 'CR7 Footwear' and was created in collaboration with Portugal Footwear.
The new line was showcased in Milan and Las Vegas but Ronaldo had not got approval from Nike beforehand. This seemingly didn't sit well with the bosses of the American company.
It was reported in Portugal (via The Mirror) that Ronaldo was required to get the green light from Nike before launching the line. He was said to have been in breach of contract
Ronaldo was still allowed to sell his own brand of casual loafers and smart shoes, as Nike have no interest in that market. The former Real Madrid hero's 'CR7' brand also sells fragrances, eyewear and underwear.
The CR7 fashion brand was launched in Europe in 2013 and in North America in 2017, and has been hugely successful ever since. It has helped the five-time UEFA Champions League winner become arguably the most popular and famous footballer in history.