Nike’s long-awaited link-up between late basketball legend Kobe Bryant and Spanish soccer club FC Barcelona began releasing Tuesday with footwear launches to follow on Thursday.
Officially unveiled and released Tuesday is the Kobe Bryant x Nike FC Barcelona 2025/26 away jersey in its Kobe-inspired Team Gold base color with accents of black and Persian Violet and black. Available in men’s, women’s and kid’s sizes, the Kobe Bryant x Nike FC Barcelona collection also includes jackets and T-shirts in alternate Black/Persian Violet colorways as well as shorts and socks.
Along with the Los Angeles Lakers-inspired color palettes, the collection marks the first time Bryant’s signature Sheath logo has been featured on professional soccer kits.
Kobe Bryant x Nike FC Barcelona 2025/26 Match Away Jersey.
Nike
Tuesday’s announcement was accompanied by a short film featuring FC Barcelona players Alejandro Balde, Pablo Gavi, Patricia Guijarro, Frenkie de Jong, Ewa Pajor, Salma Paralluelo, Claudia Pina and Alexia Putellas. In the clip, titled “Mamba Rondo,” the athletes are seen acting out one of the team’s famous training regimens.
“The ‘rondo’ is a fundamental part of Barça’s training philosophy, and it feeds into a style of play based on possession, refining mental agility and serves here as a metaphor for the constant search for perfection that the ‘Mamba Mentality’ pursues, inspired by Kobe,” reads a FC Barcelona press release.
A noted soccer devotee, Bryant’s love for the game helped shape not only his Nike signature sneaker line, but basketball footwear as a whole. Inspired by the restriction-free feel of low-cut soccer cleats, Bryant and designer Eric Avar helped popularize low-top basketball sneakers beginning with the Zoom Kobe 4 in 2008.
Beyond the apparel released Tuesday, the rollout will continue Thursday with the launch of co-branded Nike Kobe 4 Protro, Nike Air Force 1 Protro and Offcourt Slides. According to Nike, the sneakers will launch globally Thursday followed by availability in select markets later this summer.
The Kobe x FC Barcelona collaboration is scheduled for three seasons through 2027-28.
Items from the collection can be purchased now from nike.com and store.fcbarcelona.com.
Players wear the Kobe Bryant x Nike FC Barcelona collaboration.
Players featured in the “Mamba Rondo” Kobe Bryant x Nike FC Barcelona campaign.