PARIS: Karim Benzema defeated French streamer Amine in the EA SPORTS FC Showmatch at the Esports World Cup 2026 on Monday, as one of football’s biggest names took to the virtual pitch in front of a packed crowd in Paris.
The exhibition match, held at Hall 1 of the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, highlighted the growing crossover between football, esports and digital entertainment.
Benzema, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, teamed up with Bruce Grannec, the former esports world champion, while Amine partnered with EA SPORTS FC player Brak. The match was hosted by Loupiote, with commentary from Omar da Fonseca.
Before the contest, Benzema expressed confidence in his teammate.
“I’m doing fine. We’ll see, but I’ve got a great teammate, so it’ll be all right,” he said. “I believe in his abilities. People with talent have it from head to toe.”
Benzema and Grannec quickly took control of the match, combining clinical finishing with composed gameplay to secure a comfortable 4-0 victory.
Afterwards, the former Real Madrid and current Al-Hilal striker thanked the fans and organizers.
Benzema said: “I didn’t expect it to be like this. Thank you to everyone who came, to everyone who is here, and to all those who organized this event. It’s a pleasure to play in front of such a big crowd.”
He added: “It was a great moment, full of passion, enjoyment and fantastic emotions. There are winners and losers, but the most important thing is that we shared this experience together.”
Amine accepted defeat with characteristic humor, praising Benzema and Grannec’s performance.
“We really enjoyed it,” he said. “They were simply better than us. They had a better understanding of football and better gameplay. Congratulations to them. It was a wonderful experience, and thanks to everyone who came to support us.”
The annual Showmatch has become one of the Esports World Cup’s signature attractions, with previous editions featuring football legends including Neymar Jr., Ronaldo Nazario, Kaka, and Saudi esports star Mosaad Al-Dossary.
Mike McCabe, deputy CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, said the event reflected the growing links between elite sport and digital entertainment.
The Esports World Cup 2026 runs until Aug. 23 and features more than 2,000 players, 200 clubs and competitors from 100 countries across 25 tournaments, with a record prize pool of $75 million.
