Here’s what happens when football and basketball come together for a collaborative effort.
On their own, basketball and football are among the world’s most popular sports. But what happens when you bring two vastly different, but similarly popular sporting cultures together?
Some of basketball and football’s top figures have linked up in past years to work on unique collections rooted in sports and fashion. From co-branded pieces, to re-imagined silhouettes, respect and mutual admiration are often at the core of these partnerships.
Curious as to which football and basketball stars have collaborated? Here are four of them.
Kobe Bryant and FC Barcelona
The late Kobe Bryant’s love for football has long been documented, and can be traced back to his time growing up in Italy. The Black Mamba was known to be an avid supporter of AC Milan, and his low-top signature sneakers were directly inspired by football boots. Longtime fans might also know about the “Mambacurial” colorway that takes design cues from the Nike Mercurial boots.
As a sign of Kobe’s enduring legacy, it was recently announced that his signature brand will be partnering with FC Barcelona for the 2025-26 La Liga season, and is headlined by an Away kit that features the legendary Sheath logo.
Football fans, though, aren’t the only ones in for a treat. Also part of the collaboration are FC Barcelona colorways of the Kobe 4 Protro, as well as a special Air Force 1 that includes both Kobe and Barca brandings. As with past Kobe releases, expect that these sneakers will be on high demand at the resell market.
Jordan and Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain may primarily be rocking Nike now, but it’s hard to forget their partnership with the Jordan Brand. After all, who would have thought that the Jumpman would be a constant presence on the football pitch? Or a football team being outfitted by a brand that traces its roots back to the hardwood?
Let’s not forget the streetwear-friendly pieces this partnership has produced, especially the retro Jordan models being released in PSG-inspired colorways in past years.
LeBron James and Liverpool FC
Similar to the Black Mamba, LeBron James’ unwavering support for football is also an open secret. King James has been an avid supporter of Liverpool in England’s Premier League, and previously had a two-percent stake in the legendary club team.
The two sporting giants have also brought their partnership to sports and fashion, with LeBron having a number of Liverpool-inspired colorways on his signature sneakers. In 2022, there was the teal-colored LeBron 9 retros, while the fan-favorite LeBron 20s once came in the club’s iconic shade of red.
There is also the “LeBron x Liverpool FC” outfit collection, which featured co-branded soccer and basketball jerseys, to tie in with King James becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. A year later, it was followed by the “LBJ x LFC Chapter 2” capsule after the Los Angeles Lakers star reached 40,000 career points.
Once again featuring soccer and basketball jerseys, the second LeBron and Liverpool collaboration builds off The Reds’ teal club colors, along with their “You Never Walk Alone” mantra.
Jordan and Neymar Jr.
Well-before outfitting Paris Saint-Germain, Jordan Brand’s first foray into the football world was with Neymar Jr. in 2016, back when the Brazilian ace was still playing with Barca. Leading the “NJR x Jordan” collection is the re-imagined Nike Hypervenom II boot, which is inspired by Neymar’s favorite Jordan sneaker: the Jordan 5.
Neymar also received a custom version of the Jordan 5, coming in a reflective base complemented with red accents. As with his Hypervenom boot, Neymar’s Jordan 5s also include both his jersey number 10, and Jordan’s iconic number 23 to signify their creative partnership.
Banner images courtesy of Nike.