After thirteen years, Shakthar Donetsk leaves Nike

After thirteen years spent among Brazilian players, raids in the Champions League and some historic shirts, Shakthar Donetsk leaves Nike to pass to Puma. The Swoosh will continue to be technical partner of the Donetsk team until the end of this season, but from next year - season 2021/22 -, Puma will dress the Ukrainian club. Given that this year then the jersey - not yet released - will be signed Nike, Puma will enter 2021 with a five-year contract, so as to establish a partnership until the 2025/26 season.

After Roma, Nike lost another important piece of European clubs, since Shakthar, also considering the five-eighths of the Champions League final and the two semi-finals of the Europa League, is one of the top football brands in Eastern Europe. In this sense, the American brand was very close to the Ukrainian team also by the many Brazilians who from 2000 onwards passed from Donetks, from Douglas Costa to Taison up to Matuzalem and Elano. Brazilians are practically a reference point for Nike, so much so that, in fact, the various Willian, Dougals Costa, Elano or Jo - just to mention the most famous - were all branded by Nike. In the turn over of the sponsors, Nike has definitely lost something compared to competitors, considering that Puma, on the contrary, with operations like that, it’s getting higher and higher into the sponsorship pyramid. The loss in Italy of a square like Rome, the abandonment of Shakthar in Eastern Europe and especially the interruption of the relationship with Neymar make Nike in a less solid position than before. While Puma, in fact, makes great strides.