Lionel Messi accepts role as co-owner of KRU Esports, working alongside former Argentina teammate Sergio Aguero
- Group’s founder and CEO Aguero says Messi can make ‘great contribution’ to esports
- ‘[Messi] projects values such as perseverance, humility and resilience. He … will be a great contribution to the scene in general,’ Aguero says
Lionel Messi is expanding his influence to the world of virtual sports as the new co-owner of KRU Esports.
The World Cup winner will work alongside CEO Sergio Aguero, who founded the organisation in 2020 and developed a dedicated esports fan base in Latin America.
Before the official announcement, there had been suggestions Aguero would step down as the organisation’s owner. Instead the former Manchester City player released a video saying he was “no longer the owner of KRU because now, we are two”.
“It is an honour that he [Messi] is part of KRU,” Aguero said. “He is the best footballer in history, and also a great friend. His presence is relevant because he projects values such as perseverance, humility and resilience. He is a figure that inspires everyone and will be a great contribution to the scene in general.”
A former member of Argentina’s national football team, Aguero played alongside Messi at the 2018 Fifa World Cup. The 35-year-old also holds the record for the most hat-tricks in the Premier League.
KRU Esports’ three teams, Valorant, KRU Blaze – an all-female Valorant team – and Rocket League, are reaching new levels of success in global esports competitions.
The organisation’s Valorant team competed at Valorant Champions for the past three years, with their best result being third place in 2021. The Rocket League team is ranked second in South America, while the KRU Blaze team recently claimed a spot at the Valorant Champions Tour 2023: Game Changers Championship.
Chinese netizens caught wind of Messi’s position at KRU Esports, with the topic trending on Weibo and accumulating over four million views on Wednesday.
“Lionel Messi, the GOAT in football, enters esports,” one person wrote.
While many fans were supportive of the Argentine’s involvement, some were more critical of the move.
“Messi has no ball to play, so he makes his presence felt everywhere. He endorses burgers, endorses fake wine, enters concerts, and now he is involved in the esports circle,” another commented.
With his new role as co-owner, Messi will bring more visibility to virtual sports, which continues to grow in popularity despite being overshadowed by physical sports. Esports made its debut as a medal event at the Asian Games in Hangzhou and became the only sport with a lottery system to distribute spectator tickets.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) established its first esports committee in September, while IOC Thomas Bach addressed the possibility of esports becoming an Olympic event in 2020, saying: “Yes. It depends on when this day comes.”
