'Truly amazing experience' - Esports World Cup in Riyadh thrills Liverpool star Diogo Jota

Diogo Jota was present at the Esports World Cup held in Riyadh and was left spellbound by the experience.

WHAT HAPPENED?
Liverpool attacker Diogo Jota was a star attraction at the ongoing Esports World Cup in Riyadh on Sunday.
The tournament, dubbed the world’s largest gaming and esports festival, will go on till August 25 at Boulevard Riyadh City.
Jota was thrilled by what he saw on Sunday and termed it "a truly amazing experience". The Portuguese forward, who was recently seen during Euro 2024, met esports players from Saudi Arabia’s Team Falcons, and was seen sharing gaming and esports stories.
Jota is also an avid gamer and has invested in multinational esports organization Galaxy Racer.

THE BIGGER PICTURE
Jota's skill as a gamer is well recognised.
He was ranked World No. 1 in FIFA 21's Champions Leaderboard. He is also a regular streamer on Twitch, and has won an invitational series of FIFA matches, run by the Premier League, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also had an esports team of his own named Diogo Jota Esports which was rebranded as Luna Galaxy and sits under the umbrella of Galaxy Racer.
WHAT JOTA SAID?
Jota said: “Being here at the inaugural Esports World Cup is a truly amazing experience. The organization and scale behind this event are truly impressive, even more than I anticipated. I've always believed in the potential of esports, even before starting my own team, and EWC is proof that this scene is evolving rapidly. This level of investment and infrastructure is exactly what esports needs to grow and reach a wider audience. I'm excited to see how EWC continues to evolve and push the boundaries of competitive gaming.”

DID YOU KNOW?
The inaugural Esports World Cup in Riyadh features over 1,500 players from over 60 nationalities.
The eight-week long tournament has a unique cross-game structure pitting the world’s top clubs and players against one another across 22 global competitions in 21 leading games.
It is being held within the 8,000-plus capacity SEF (Saudi Esports Federation) Arena at Boulevard Riyadh City. The tournament prize pool of $60 million is said to be the largest in the history of esports.
You can buy tickets for the Esports World Cup here.
WHAT NEXT FOR JOTA?
The Liverpool star will be looking to put behind his disappointment at Euro 2024 where Portugal crashed out of the quarterfinals.
He will be next seen in action for Liverpool as they gear up for the Premier League under new coach Arne Slot who has the tough job of filling Jurgen Klopp's shoes.

WHAT HAPPENED?