Neymar Leads Furia's Media Football Team

On January 31, Neymar made a highly anticipated return to Santos FC following a year with Al-Hilal. Just weeks later, on February 19, the football icon announced a groundbreaking move into the esports realm by joining Brazil's leading esports organization, Furia. In his new capacity as president of the media football team, Neymar will spearhead Furia's campaign in the upcoming season of Kings League, a pioneering gaming tournament that seamlessly merges traditional sports with esports dynamics.

What Will Neymar Do?

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Neymar expressed immense enthusiasm about his association with Furia, highlighting his longstanding 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 construct Furia's lineup for the forthcoming draft. The Kings League follows a 7v7 format, with each team comprising 13 players. Out of these, 10 are chosen by the president from a common pool of 222 participants. A total of 10 teams will vie for supremacy in the league. Additionally, Neymar has the chance to participate in matches through the "president penalty" rule, enabling him to take the field during any game.

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 powerhouse G2 Esports and owned the notable Spanish team KOI.

The league has expanded to Italy and Central America, with past finals taking place 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, or the ability to temporarily remove an opponent from play for the same duration.

The Brazilian edition of Kings League is scheduled to occur in São Paulo from March to April, featuring top clubs Fluxo and Loud, along with 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 has been a vocal advocate for Furia since the team's ascent to prominence in 2019, when they qualified for a CS:GO Major – the esports equivalent of a World Cup. He regularly shared highlights of their matches on social media and recorded videos cheering them on during pivotal tournaments. During one memorable moment, he celebrated 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, likening the atmosphere to 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 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's leadership and passion for gaming, Furia is well-positioned to make a significant impact in the evolving landscape of media football and esports entertainment.