The Champions League final in Istanbul is just days away, but before then there is another trophy at stake. We’re in the compact ESA Espor Arena to witness the eChampions League finals, with eight players ready to do battle for the trophy and nearly €70,000 in prize money up for grabs.
This intense, high-pressure event was about to change the life of one young gamer forever – and just to up the ante, there is footballing royalty on hand in the form of Ruud Gullit, Kaká and the actual Champions League trophy. As such, you would have expected more animosity between the players – some trash talk, maybe? A few mind games? Not a bit of it.
In fact, good friends Francesco ‘Obrun’ Pio Tagliafierro and Lucio ‘Hezers’ Vecchione even shared a drink the night before, despite knowing they were due to clash in a crucial bout. With every player appreciating how tough it was to get this far, mutual respect reigned supreme.
In true Champions League style, the event started with the players stood on stage as the iconic Champions League anthem filled the room, but then it was down to business. And if anyone was looking for an insight into how difficult the day would be, it came pretty swiftly: Emre Yilmaz’s impeccable record as the only undefeated player in the entire tournament ended in his opening match. He was well beaten by reigning world champion Umut Gültekin, a player Yilmaz had never bested in competition before.
The Champions League final in Istanbul is just days away, but before then there is another trophy at stake. We’re in the compact ESA Espor Arena to witness the eChampions League finals, with eight players ready to do battle for the trophy and nearly €70,000 in prize money up for grabs.
This intense, high-pressure event was about to change the life of one young gamer forever – and just to up the ante, there is footballing royalty on hand in the form of Ruud Gullit, Kaká and the actual Champions League trophy. As such, you would have expected more animosity between the players – some trash talk, maybe? A few mind games? Not a bit of it.
In fact, good friends Francesco ‘Obrun’ Pio Tagliafierro and Lucio ‘Hezers’ Vecchione even shared a drink the night before, despite knowing they were due to clash in a crucial bout. With every player appreciating how tough it was to get this far, mutual respect reigned supreme.
In true Champions League style, the event started with the players stood on stage as the iconic Champions League anthem filled the room, but then it was down to business. And if anyone was looking for an insight into how difficult the day would be, it came pretty swiftly: Emre Yilmaz’s impeccable record as the only undefeated player in the entire tournament ended in his opening match. He was well beaten by reigning world champion Umut Gültekin, a player Yilmaz had never bested in competition before.
Yilmaz admitted later he thought his tournament was over, but his previous record gave him a high enough seeding to snare a second chance in the lower bracket. And although Yilmaz, who is part of Team Gullit (yes, the Ruud one), is fairly shy in real life, his in-game style is ferocious. The Dutchman dominates with relentless pressing, ruthlessly unpicking defences with a freakish ability to find a path to goal.
“It’s better to attack because you make the opponent nervous, then they make mistakes,” he explained. “It works for me, anyway.” Watching Yilmaz fight his way through the lower bracket, you could see this happening in real time: the more he played, the more he grew in confidence and overwhelmed opponents.
The fates conspired to find Yilmaz facing Umut once more, but now for a place in the final. Yilmaz was a different beast this time around, crushing his rival, before capably downing Hezers in the decider to earn the eChampions League trophy, handed to him by Gullit.
“It’s the first trophy of my career and it’s one of the most beautiful,” said Yilmaz. A few days later, he got to parade it at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium before the Champions League final. Meanwhile, Gullit, who won the on-pitch version twice with AC Milan, could hardly contain his glee. “It's amazing,” he said. “When I started out, I never thought I'd be here with a player. I feel his joy; I know how much work he put in. I’m not a good video game player – I can’t even play – but ... it’s very fun, a different type of fun.”
Fortunately, Gullit’s special-guest duties meant he only had to (nervously) commentate on part of the final. After pleading with his player to run the ball into the corner to win the first section, he then kept himself distracted by signing autographs until Yilmaz had claimed the trophy. “We wanted to take this game to a higher level and I think we achieved it today,” said the proud boss.
The Champions League final in Istanbul is just days away, but before then there is another trophy at stake. We’re in the compact ESA Espor Arena to witness the eChampions League finals, with eight players ready to do battle for the trophy and nearly €70,000 in prize money up for grabs.
This intense, high-pressure event was about to change the life of one young gamer forever – and just to up the ante, there is footballing royalty on hand in the form of Ruud Gullit, Kaká and the actual Champions League trophy. As such, you would have expected more animosity between the players – some trash talk, maybe? A few mind games? Not a bit of it.
In fact, good friends Francesco ‘Obrun’ Pio Tagliafierro and Lucio ‘Hezers’ Vecchione even shared a drink the night before, despite knowing they were due to clash in a crucial bout. With every player appreciating how tough it was to get this far, mutual respect reigned supreme.
In true Champions League style, the event started with the players stood on stage as the iconic Champions League anthem filled the room, but then it was down to business. And if anyone was looking for an insight into how difficult the day would be, it came pretty swiftly: Emre Yilmaz’s impeccable record as the only undefeated player in the entire tournament ended in his opening match. He was well beaten by reigning world champion Umut Gültekin, a player Yilmaz had never bested in competition before.
The Champions League final in Istanbul is just days away, but before then there is another trophy at stake. We’re in the compact ESA Espor Arena to witness the eChampions League finals, with eight players ready to do battle for the trophy and nearly €70,000 in prize money up for grabs.
This intense, high-pressure event was about to change the life of one young gamer forever – and just to up the ante, there is footballing royalty on hand in the form of Ruud Gullit, Kaká and the actual Champions League trophy. As such, you would have expected more animosity between the players – some trash talk, maybe? A few mind games? Not a bit of it.
In fact, good friends Francesco ‘Obrun’ Pio Tagliafierro and Lucio ‘Hezers’ Vecchione even shared a drink the night before, despite knowing they were due to clash in a crucial bout. With every player appreciating how tough it was to get this far, mutual respect reigned supreme.
In true Champions League style, the event started with the players stood on stage as the iconic Champions League anthem filled the room, but then it was down to business. And if anyone was looking for an insight into how difficult the day would be, it came pretty swiftly: Emre Yilmaz’s impeccable record as the only undefeated player in the entire tournament ended in his opening match. He was well beaten by reigning world champion Umut Gültekin, a player Yilmaz had never bested in competition before.
The Champions League final in Istanbul is just days away, but before then there is another trophy at stake. We’re in the compact ESA Espor Arena to witness the eChampions League finals, with eight players ready to do battle for the trophy and nearly €70,000 in prize money up for grabs.
This intense, high-pressure event was about to change the life of one young gamer forever – and just to up the ante, there is footballing royalty on hand in the form of Ruud Gullit, Kaká and the actual Champions League trophy. As such, you would have expected more animosity between the players – some trash talk, maybe? A few mind games? Not a bit of it.
In fact, good friends Francesco ‘Obrun’ Pio Tagliafierro and Lucio ‘Hezers’ Vecchione even shared a drink the night before, despite knowing they were due to clash in a crucial bout. With every player appreciating how tough it was to get this far, mutual respect reigned supreme.
In true Champions League style, the event started with the players stood on stage as the iconic Champions League anthem filled the room, but then it was down to business. And if anyone was looking for an insight into how difficult the day would be, it came pretty swiftly: Emre Yilmaz’s impeccable record as the only undefeated player in the entire tournament ended in his opening match. He was well beaten by reigning world champion Umut Gültekin, a player Yilmaz had never bested in competition before.
Yilmaz admitted later he thought his tournament was over, but his previous record gave him a high enough seeding to snare a second chance in the lower bracket. And although Yilmaz, who is part of Team Gullit (yes, the Ruud one), is fairly shy in real life, his in-game style is ferocious. The Dutchman dominates with relentless pressing, ruthlessly unpicking defences with a freakish ability to find a path to goal.
“It’s better to attack because you make the opponent nervous, then they make mistakes,” he explained. “It works for me, anyway.” Watching Yilmaz fight his way through the lower bracket, you could see this happening in real time: the more he played, the more he grew in confidence and overwhelmed opponents.
The fates conspired to find Yilmaz facing Umut once more, but now for a place in the final. Yilmaz was a different beast this time around, crushing his rival, before capably downing Hezers in the decider to earn the eChampions League trophy, handed to him by Gullit.
“It’s the first trophy of my career and it’s one of the most beautiful,” said Yilmaz. A few days later, he got to parade it at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium before the Champions League final. Meanwhile, Gullit, who won the on-pitch version twice with AC Milan, could hardly contain his glee. “It's amazing,” he said. “When I started out, I never thought I'd be here with a player. I feel his joy; I know how much work he put in. I’m not a good video game player – I can’t even play – but ... it’s very fun, a different type of fun.”
Fortunately, Gullit’s special-guest duties meant he only had to (nervously) commentate on part of the final. After pleading with his player to run the ball into the corner to win the first section, he then kept himself distracted by signing autographs until Yilmaz had claimed the trophy. “We wanted to take this game to a higher level and I think we achieved it today,” said the proud boss.
The Champions League final in Istanbul is just days away, but before then there is another trophy at stake. We’re in the compact ESA Espor Arena to witness the eChampions League finals, with eight players ready to do battle for the trophy and nearly €70,000 in prize money up for grabs.
This intense, high-pressure event was about to change the life of one young gamer forever – and just to up the ante, there is footballing royalty on hand in the form of Ruud Gullit, Kaká and the actual Champions League trophy. As such, you would have expected more animosity between the players – some trash talk, maybe? A few mind games? Not a bit of it.
In fact, good friends Francesco ‘Obrun’ Pio Tagliafierro and Lucio ‘Hezers’ Vecchione even shared a drink the night before, despite knowing they were due to clash in a crucial bout. With every player appreciating how tough it was to get this far, mutual respect reigned supreme.
In true Champions League style, the event started with the players stood on stage as the iconic Champions League anthem filled the room, but then it was down to business. And if anyone was looking for an insight into how difficult the day would be, it came pretty swiftly: Emre Yilmaz’s impeccable record as the only undefeated player in the entire tournament ended in his opening match. He was well beaten by reigning world champion Umut Gültekin, a player Yilmaz had never bested in competition before.
