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Globally, Valorant esports is experiencing unprecedented growth. Competitions with a global or regional focus, where players of different skill levels battle it out for enormous cash prizes, take place regularly. As years go by, esports has been gaining a lot of traction, and it keeps getting stronger every day. As we speak, the current value of the esports industry stands at a staggering $1.45 billion, as per Fortune Business Insights.
With such tremendous growth in this sector, everybody wants a piece of it. Valorant esports, especially, have caught the attention of a lot of pro athletes from different sports backgrounds, who have invested a fair share into some of the well-known teams. Let's take a look at some of the most prominent sports stars with Valorant esports organizations.
9 football and basketball players who have invested in Valorant esports
1) Lionel Messi
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Legendary football player and multiple Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Lionel Messi officially joined Argentine organization KRÜ Esports as a co-owner in November 2023. The decision by one of the most famous athletes in the world to invest in esports caught the community off guard. The team has participated in Valorant, League of Legends, and FIFA competitions in the past, and it also has a lineup for Rocket League in South America.
Sergio Aguero, a former player from Manchester City, founded this team in 2020. On the professional esports scene, KRU is more than simply a name. As a content development team with extensive ties to the community, the Argentine organization has brought many individuals together with their dedication to advancing the conventional and esports scenes towards better futures.
2) Gerard Piqué
In 2021, retired Barcelona star Gerard Piqué launched KOI with renowned Spanish streamer Ibai, which had an instant impact on the esports industry. The group swiftly secured a spot in the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) for 2023 after initially competing in the Spanish regional League of Legends competition.
Other than League of Legends, the KOI esports team also competes at the top tier in Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant, and Rocket League.
3) Daniil Medvedev
Tennis ace Daniil Medvedev became a co-owner of M80 Esports in November 2023. The American esports league features some of the top teams in a variety of game titles, which include Street Fighter, Counter-Strike, Valorant, Rocket League, and Rainbow Six Siege.
Throughout his life, Daniil Medvedev has pursued a variety of interests, and it appears that gaming is at the top of the list. The tennis player spends his leisure time playing video games, such as Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, and FIFA.
4) Casemiro
Casemiro entered the esports industry by setting up his own organization, Case Esports, in 2020. The company mostly participates in the regional leagues of well-known esports games, such as FIFA, CS:GO (ESL Masters España), and Valorant (VCT Challengers Spain).
Sponsors of Case Esports in 2023 include the computer manufacturer Fierce PC, the sports brand Hummel, and the snack company Pringles.
5) David De Gea
Spanish esports team Rebels Gaming was founded by former Manchester United goalkeeper, David de Gea, at the end of 2021. Since its foundation, they have participated in League of Legends, Valorant, and Rainbow Six Siege on a regional level.
De Gea strengthened his esports organization last year when he revealed that Manchester United's Juan Mata and Burno Fernandes had become shareholders of Rebels Gaming.
4) Sergio Aguero
After the former Manchester City player started to gain popularity on Twitch during the pandemic lockdown, Sergio Agüero formed KRÜ Esports in 2020. The Valorant segment is the most well-known part of the Argentina-based esports company, and KRÜ Esports was chosen as one of 10 partner teams for the VCT Americas International League.
As mentioned earlier, football legend Lionel Messi recently joined as a co-owner of KRU Esports.
5) David Beckham
Legendary British footballer, David Beckham, is the co-owner of Guild Esports, which was launched in 2020. The British esports organization has become one of the most popular esports teams in the UK, and has bagged major partnerships with brands like Sky, Subway, HyperX, and others. Guild features competitive rosters in Valorant, FIFA, CS:GO, and Rocket League.
Furthermore, the company has its own esports academy system and high-end headquarters.
6) César Azpilicueta
Former Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta founded the Falcons in 2020. Since then, the Spanish esports club has maintained competitive rosters in Valorant, FIFA, and League of Legends.
Falcons currently compete in the SuperLiga 2nd Division of the Spanish League of Legends. Three more famous teams competing in the league are Case Esports, Villarreal QLASH, and Levante UD Esports.
7) Shaquille O’Neal
Retired athlete Shaquille O'Neal is among the richest people on earth. Since joining the league, he has actively participated in a number of different industries as an investor. In 2016, along with MLB players Jimmy Rollins and Alex Rodriguez, O'Neal invested in NRG esports.
NRG esports gathers about 400 million viewers annually and participates in Valorant and League of Legends tournaments.
Right now, the esports sector of Riot Games' tactical shooter is a worldwide phenomenon, and its breakthroughs in new areas are winning over players and fans.
