On January 31, Neymar made a heartfelt return to Santos FC following a year with Al-Hilal. Just weeks later, on February 19, the football icon joined Brazil's premier esports organization, Furia, as president of their media football team. In this new role, Neymar is set to steer Furia through the exciting waters of the Kings League, a groundbreaking tournament that merges traditional sports with the dynamic world of esports.
Table of Contents
- What Will Neymar Do?
- What Is Kings League?
- Neymar's Longstanding Connection to Furia
- Neymar's Ties to Esports Extend Beyond Furia
What Will Neymar Do?
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Neymar's enthusiasm for his new venture with Furia is palpable. He shared his excitement, underlining his unwavering support for the organization:
Anyone who follows me knows how much I've backed Furia since day one. Whenever my schedule allows, I'll be working closely with the team. I'm confident that the squad we assemble will consistently perform at a high level.
As president, Neymar's initial responsibility is to craft Furia's lineup for the upcoming draft. The Kings League operates on a 7v7 format, with each team comprising 13 players, of which 10 are chosen by the president from a shared pool of 222 participants. A total of 10 teams will vie for supremacy in the league. Additionally, Neymar has the unique opportunity to take the field during matches thanks to the "president penalty" rule.
What Is Kings League?
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Launched in Spain in 2022, Kings League was co-founded by Gerard Pique and the renowned Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos, who commands a following of 17 million on Twitch. Ibai has previously worked with esports giant G2 Esports and owned the prominent Spanish team KOI.
The league has expanded to Italy and Central America, with past finals hosted at iconic venues like Camp Nou. Matches are structured in a 2x20-minute format and feature innovative elements such as the "double goal" bonus, which doubles a team's next score for four minutes, and the ability to temporarily remove an opponent from play for the same duration.
The Brazilian edition of Kings League is scheduled to take place in São Paulo from March to April, featuring top clubs Fluxo and Loud, as well as a team led by the popular streamer Gaules, whose streams have attracted over 500,000 concurrent viewers. The presentation and draft event will be broadcast live on February 24.
Neymar's Longstanding Connection to Furia
Neymar's support for Furia dates back to the organization's rise to prominence in 2019, when they qualified for a CS:GO Major – the esports equivalent of a World Cup. He has consistently shared highlights of their matches on social media and recorded videos cheering them on during crucial tournaments. One memorable moment saw him praising the team's performance:
Go Brazil! Go Furia! Today is hunting day for Art, headshots from Yuurih, and clutch moments from Kscerato!
In 2023, Neymar attended a CS:GO tournament in Rio de Janeiro, drawing parallels between the atmosphere and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar:
Good morning! I wasn't feeling the World Cup until I saw the crowd's reaction at the Major in Rio. What a celebration, what an atmosphere!
Neymar had even attempted to acquire a stake in the organization:
For years, he tried to buy Furia or a share of it, negotiating and waving money around, but Furia declined. Now they've officially partnered, and I think Neymar finally got his piece of Furia. He's been trying for six years.
Neymar's Ties to Esports Extend Beyond Furia
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Neymar's involvement in esports extends beyond Furia. He has participated in exhibition matches with Fallen, Brazil's most celebrated esports figure, and has socialized with Ukrainian star player s1mple. Additionally, he shares a close friendship with Furia CEO Andre Akkari, a professional poker player who carried the Olympic torch in 2016. Neymar often seeks Akkari's advice on poker strategy: "He's incredibly smart. Every day, he asks me about hands and techniques. He sends me WhatsApp messages with hands from his home games, asking how I'd play them in a World Series or EPT setting."
With Neymar at the helm, Furia is poised to make significant strides in the evolving landscape of media football and esports entertainment.
