RIYADH: The victorious Saudi Arabia team, who claimed victory on Dec. 8 in the inaugural FIFAe World Cup, featuring Rocket League, have been sharing their pride at securing the crown.
Cheered on by a raucous home crowd, they delivered a commanding performance to secure the title at the SEF Arena in Boulevard Riyadh City last Sunday.
Team captain Mohammed Al-Otaibi, known as TrK511, reflected on the triumph and said: “It’s an indescribable feeling to finally become world champions, winning the FIFAe Rocket League World Cup in our homeland, with our fans behind us every step of the way, makes the achievement unforgettable.”
Saudi Arabia dominated their opponents, topping the group stages before defeating Chile 4-0 in the quarter-finals, Brazil 4-0 in the semifinals and France 4-1 in the final.
Yazid Abdullah Bakhashwin, known as “Kiileerrz,” described the pride of representing Saudi Arabia on a global stage.
“This is the greatest achievement of my career,” he said. “What makes it even more significant is that it was the first Rocket League tournament for FIFAe, held here at home. The energy from the fans inside the SEF Arena was electrifying. Their cheers after every match and goal pushed us to perform at our peak.”
For coach Abdulrahman Al-Saad, the victory was the culmination of relentless preparation.
Mohammed Khalid Alotaibi (trk511) of Team Saudi Arabia celebrates against Team France during the Final of the FIFAe World Cup featuring Rocket League at SEF Arena on Dec. 8, in Riyadh. (FIFA via Getty Images)
“We’ve been working towards this tournament for so long,” he said. “Being the first of its kind and hosted in our homeland made it even more meaningful. It marked the end of a long year of tournaments — around 10 in total — where we learned from every match and improved on our mistakes, especially in international competitions.”
The victory was particularly sweet for the Saudi team, who had often come close in previous tournaments without taking the top prize.
“Reaching the finals and semifinals only to fall short was tough,” said Saleh Abdullah “Rw9” Bakhashwin. “But my family and friends never stopped believing in us. This win feels like the perfect reward for all our efforts, and I’m proud to have made them proud,” he added.
His teammate and captain, TrK511, echoed the sentiment.
“After so many close calls, this victory feels especially meaningful. We’ve learned from our past experiences, practiced relentlessly, and stayed focused as a team,” he said.
Eighteen nations competed in the tournament, one of three in the FIFAe Finals 2024. The event was part of a growing number of competitions hosted in Saudi Arabia, which included the inaugural Esports World Cup earlier this year. With 23.5 million gamers — almost 70 percent of the population — the Kingdom is rapidly establishing itself as a global leader in esports.
“The esports industry in Saudi Arabia is expanding at an incredible pace,” said coach Al-Saad. “The Kingdom is investing heavily in infrastructure and nurturing young talent. This win reflects the passion our country has for gaming and esports.”
For Saudi Arabia’s world champions, this victory is just the beginning.
“We’re living in an era of esports, with tournaments happening year-round and so much support from our country,” said TrK511. “I’ve always wanted to achieve something for my family and my country, and now I’ve achieved the most important title of my career — but it won’t be the last.”
