Former Chelsea football shirt for kids and Real Madrid star Eden Hazard is ready to grace the football pitch again, as it was announced on Monday that he will take part in the upcoming Kings World Cup, scheduled to take place in Mexico later this year.
Joining him in this exciting venture is former Manchester United women’s football shirt defender Rio Ferdinand, who in addition to his role as a player will be involved in a unique capacity as co-president of one of the teams alongside content creator Jeremy Lynch.
The Kings World Cup is a seven-man tournament that has already attracted a lot of attention with players such as Zlatan Ibrahimović and Neymar committed to taking part. The tournament is the culmination of the Kings League, a football competition created by former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué in Spain back in 2023. The league, which has Sergio Aguëro and Iker Casillas as presidents, has now expanded into North and South America with the Américas Kings League recently launched in Mexico, attracting streamers, content creators and footballers from across South America.
The Kings World Cup is scheduled to take place between 26 May and 8 June, and 32 teams will compete for the coveted title, including 12 wildcard teams from around the world. The victors will walk away with a hefty $1 million cash prize.
Hazard’s return to the pitch comes as a surprise after his premature retirement from football last year due to persistent injuries during his stint in the Real Madrid football shirt. Despite turning down offers to extend his career, the 33-year-old Belgian has agreed to represent Deptostra FC, a team managed by Belgian broadcaster Céline Dept, in the Kings World Cup.
Ferdinand, on the other hand, will manage his own team, Five FC, along with Lynch. The duo will not only oversee the team’s affairs but also contribute actively on the pitch.
The star-studded line-up of team owners further adds to the allure of the tournament. Neymar, for example, will co-own one of the Brazilian teams, Furia FC, while Mario Götze, famous for his winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final, will be involved with Youniors FC along with German TikTok sensation Younes Zarou.
Ibrahimović’s involvement as president of the Kings World Cup adds another layer of excitement to the event. The tournament aims to blend the best elements of football with video game rules, with 40-minute matches featuring unique elements such as double-counting periods and random player substitutions decided by the roll of dice.
Although the teams are mainly made up of amateur or semi-professional players, the presence of influential team presidents provides the opportunity to bring in experienced professionals as ringers. Previous editions have seen Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo and Andriy Shevchenko on the pitch, while Aguëro, despite his premature retirement due to a heart condition, is still actively involved as a player for his team, Kunisports.
The Kings World Cup, led by Piqué, promises to offer an exciting mix of football and entertainment, showcasing the universal appeal of the sport and innovation in game dynamics.
The upcoming Kings World Cup in Mexico has caught the attention of many fans, with star players like Eden Hazard and Rio Ferdinand alongside influential team owners like Neymar and Mario Gotze. Organised by the Gerard Piqués Kings League, which promises an innovative mix of football and entertainment, the tournament aims to host a match with a unique dynamic, offering 1 million USD to the winner. With its star-studded cast and global appeal, the potential end result of the Kings World Cup is huge.
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