RIYADH: Selangor Red Giants dedicated their “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang” trophy win at the Esports World Cup on Sunday to the fans who came to Saudi Arabia from across the globe to support them.
The Malaysia side beat Saudi Arabia/Philippines outfit Team Falcons AP Bren 4-3 in a best-of-seven final to win $1 million.
The epic encounter took place in front of a capacity crowd at the SEF Arena at Boulevard Riyadh City, with the crackling atmosphere resembling a vital World Cup football match.
Simon Lim, the chairman of Selangor Red Giants, said: “We would like to thank all the traveling fans. They came from Jordan, from Egypt, from Dubai, from Abu Dhabi, and also from Malaysia as well.
“They came all the way here to support the boys and that isn’t easy. They spent good money to be here, and we are truly, truly grateful. They are our special fans, and this trophy is dedicated to all the fans here.”
Sekys, the Selangor Red Giants’ Jungler, said the final — in which he was declared the most-valuable player — was the “most intense match” of his career.
Arcadia, the head coach of Selangor Red Giants, added: “Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it’s real — it still feels like a dream. We are so happy. It means everything to us.
“We really worked hard for this win. We are grateful to all the support we had in order to win. It’s so hard for me to put into words how we are feeling right now and how happy we are.”
Team Falcons AP Bren may have ended in second place, but they produced a sterling performance.
Super Marco, the Gold Laner for Team Falcons AP Bren, said: “It was the best experience of my life. I got to meet my idols since I was a kid, and it was the best experience meeting them.
“The organization here is super good. We hope that this continues for a long time. Thank you to everyone, it has been superbly executed.”
Running from July 3 to Aug. 25, with 22 tournaments across 21 titles, the world cup is the pinnacle of professional esports.
The upcoming week three of the Esports World Cup features action from the “Dota2 Riyadh Masters,” “Counter-Strike 2,” and “PUBG Mobile.”
