“I became familiar with Skechers seeing their ads in stadiums over the years, and I’ve enjoyed wearing their shoes from the first time I tried on a pair. It is important to me that my footwear not only looks good, but is also comfortable and can be worn in many different ways. I feel great in Skechers and was overwhelmed by the versatility of the collections. This is a global brand I can wear everyday no matter what my plans are”, started by commenting Michael Ballack.

“The energy and enthusiasm for Skechers in Germany these last few years has exceeded anything that I have seen in the more than two decades that we have been here. There is a real buzz for the brand, and Michael Ballack reflects what defines Skechers: style, quality and the cornerstone of comfort,” said Christoph Wilkens, Managing Director of Skechers Germany. “As a player, he made history in Germany and, with his personable nature and extensive fanbase, is ideal for Skechers. It is a natural collaboration that we believe will further build awareness of our already popular men’s product offering, and for Skechers Germany, a proud moment to see a local hero in our store windows, as well as campaigns across Europe.”

“Germany is an important market for Skechers, and Europe is one of our strongest performing regions. Creating a campaign featuring Michael Ballack represents a smart investment in growing our men’s business in this key market, and we expect he will generate excitement and interest in our collections not only in Germany, but across all of Europe as well”, concluded David Weinberg, Chief Operating Officer of Skechers.

Michael Ballack is now part of a team of Skechers athletes and sports icons, which currently includes former English footballer and broadcaster Jamie Redknapp, ace Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, former quarterback and broadcaster Tony Romo, former defensive end and broadcaster Howie Long, Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, as well as golfers Brooke Henderson, Matt Kuchar, Colin Montgomerie and Billy Andrade.

Through the years, Skechers has utilized sports icons when advertising its men’s collection with an alumni list featuring names like Joe Montana, Pete Rose, Mariano Rivera, David Ortiz, Ozzie Smith, Joe Namath, Ronnie Lott, Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rick Fox, Wayne Gretzky, and the late Tommy Lasorda.