Arteta appointed as Under Armour Director of Performance

Arsenal manager appointed as new Global Ambassador and Director of Performance as American brand expands in football

Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Mikel Arteta has signed a multi-year deal with Under Armour, taking up a newly created position as the brand’s Director of Performance and global ambassador, in a move that signals the American sportswear company’s most ambitious push into elite football to date.

The Arsenal manager, who remains fully committed to his role at the Emirates, will provide strategic guidance to Under Armour on athlete development, product innovation and global brand positioning, while fronting the company’s forthcoming ‘Be The Problem’ campaign, launching on 15 August.

Unveiled at a media event in London alongside Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour, Artetadescribed the partnership as “a very special day” and “the perfect opportunity for me to work with a partner committed to making young athletes better.”

Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images

Asked why he chose to align with the Baltimore-based brand, Arteta was clear: “For the people. I was attracted by the sports project and the passion with which they spoke to me.”

Plank hailed the appointment as a decisive step forward for Under Armour’s football ambitions, with the press release calling Arteta “the perfect leader” to help shape the brand’s identity within the game. “Bringing Mikel on board will revolutionise our football business and demonstrates how serious we are about leading the next generation of football,” Plank said. “I admire how he constantly pushes himself and those around him through his disruptive thinking. For me there really is no one more qualified or suited to the role.”

The deal will see Arteta take on a hands-on role within UA Next, the company’s youth development programme launched in London in 2023, which has already trialled over 10,000 young athletes and awarded 18 contracts. As Director of Performance, Arteta will use his eye for talent to identify and mentor emerging players, extending his influence well beyond North London.

Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images

“I’m passionate about providing a platform for the next generation of players coming through in football,” Arteta said. “We share the same mentality in always striving for more by finding new ways to innovate and disrupt the game at the top level. Our values in pursuing greatness are closely aligned and together, I’m confident we’re going to achieve great things in football.

“There is nothing that fills me more than to give someone the opportunity and for them to give me my confidence back,” Arteta added. “When we are in our roles, we can transform the development of other people, giving them opportunities.”

The partnership, which remains commercial in nature, does not involve Arsenal as a club. The Gunners’ kit is supplied by Adidas under a separate multi-year agreement.

For Under Armour, which has long struggled to establish a foothold in top-tier European football, the capture of a manager of Arteta’s standing represents a statement of intent. Plank put it plainly: “It’s not the logo that makes you cool but the material. We want to play an important role in innovation. Under Armour has a great history with football and Mikel understands the player, the coach and the mixture of cultures.”