On January 31, Neymar made a triumphant return to Santos FC following a year with Al-Hilal. Just weeks later, on February 19, the football icon announced a groundbreaking move by joining Brazil's premier 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 tournament that merges traditional sports with the dynamic world of esports.

What Will Neymar Do?

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Neymar shared his enthusiasm about joining Furia, underlining his long-term 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 will be to form Furia's roster for the upcoming draft. The Kings League adopts a 7v7 format, with each team comprising 13 players. Out of these, 10 are chosen by the president from a shared pool of 222 participants. The league will feature 10 competing teams. Beyond recruitment, Neymar can also engage in matches thanks to the "president penalty" rule, which allows him to play during any game.

What Is Kings League?

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Kings League was launched in Spain in 2022, co-founded by Gerard Pique and renowned Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos, who has 17 million followers on Twitch. Ibai has a history of collaboration with esports giant G2 Esports and ownership of the Spanish team KOI.

The league has since 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 incorporate unique 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 will be hosted in São Paulo from March to April, featuring top clubs Fluxo and Loud, alongside a team led by popular streamer Gaules, whose streams have garnered over 500,000 concurrent viewers. The presentation and draft event is scheduled to be broadcast live on February 24.

Neymar's Longstanding Connection to Furia

Neymar has been a vocal advocate for Furia since their breakthrough in 2019 when they qualified for a CS:GO Major, akin to a World Cup in esports. He regularly shared their match highlights on social media and recorded supportive videos during crucial tournaments. In one memorable instance, he cheered on the team:

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 has participated in exhibition matches with Fallen, Brazil's most renowned 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 turns to Akkari for poker strategy advice: "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 set to make a significant impact in the growing field of media football and esports entertainment.