When Brazilian icons Ronaldo and Kaká stepped onto the Esports World Cup (EWC) stage in Riyadh, it turned out to be more than a celebrity match up; it was a cultural inflection point, a fusion of football’s legacy with the fast-rising world of gaming, while the whole world was watching.
The sporting activation was brought to life in partnership with B-Engaged – a specialty sports marketing agency based in Riyadh with global renowned presence across the UK, US and Germany – which is known for bridging global athletes, brands, culture and gaming.
Reflecting on the experience at EWC 2025, FIFA World Cup-winning Brazilian footballer Ronaldo, commonly known in the footballing world as R9, said, “Riyadh surprised me. The passion in the arena felt like a real World Cup match day. On the EWC stage you see the same things we live in football; preparation, fast decisions, teamwork and the emotion.”
Ronaldo added, “Saudi Arabia is building a real home for this new generation of competitors and I was proud to share that energy with the gamers involved. B-Engaged brought us together to create a moment that shows how sport and esports are growing side by side. The future is going to be very interesting.”
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Kaká echoed that sentiment, noting the Kingdom’s wider vision, saying “From the first moment, Saudi Arabia’s hospitality and culture stood out. Warm people, open doors, a city alive. The EWC matched the biggest nights in football for scale and energy, but what impressed me most was the professionalism and vision behind it.”
Kaká added, “Saudi Arabia is setting the pace and pushing the esports industry forward, bringing it to a place where it stands shoulder to shoulder with football on the world stage. Sharing that with the fans, and with Ronaldo in such a different arena, was pure joy. I loved being there.”
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Across the Esports World Cup’s seven-week reign in Riyadh, the show complemented the spectacle by bringing in international icons such as Lando Norris, Alisha Lehmann, Nick Kyrgios, Daniel Sturridge, Gerard Piqué, Tony Hawk and Thiago Alcântara; activations cemented the city’s status as the global meeting point for sport, gaming and culture.
By bringing world-renowned athletes to Riyadh and immersing them in the country’s transformation, sports marketing agency B-Engaged intended to spark ripple effects that travel well beyond the arena.
The presence of these athletes amplified EWC 2025 and the participating brands to hundreds of millions of followers on social media, broadcasting a fresh narrative of Saudi Arabia as a destination where tradition meets the future of sport and digital culture.
For Saudi Arabia, the impact went far beyond entertainment. The event embodied the spirit of Vision 2030, where sport, gaming and culture play a central role in diversifying the Kingdom’s economy and elevating its position as a global hub for innovation.
The true resonance of celebrity athletes partnering with sports marketing, especially in gaming, lies in a deeper truth: today’s athletes are gamers too. The competitive drive, tactical instincts and the sense of community that define professional sport naturally extend into gaming.
By bringing athletes of all types including football legends into the esports arena, Saudi Arabia has illuminated the natural intersection of these two cultural powerhouses, a fusion that EWC is now championing on the global stage.
HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “Bringing world-class athletes to the Kingdom is about more than appearances; it is about giving them a firsthand experience of the scale and ambition of our esports ecosystem. When icons such as Ronaldo, Kaká and others engage with our dynamic community, they not only inspire the next generation of gamers in Saudi Arabia, but also help to share our story with the world.”
HRH Prince Faisal added, “Saudi Arabia is emerging as a true powerhouse by bridging the worlds of traditional sport and esports, and events like the Esports World Cup are cementing a global cultural platform that unites esports, sports and fans every corner of the world on a single stage.”
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This wasn’t B-Engaged’s first landmark in the Kingdom. In 2024, the agency brought Neymar together with Team Falcons in an activation that resonated across both esports and mainstream culture. In 2025, it secured global talent, shaping narratives and producing the show that saw R9 Ronaldo face off against Kaká.
B-Engaged’s growing footprint in Saudi Arabia underscores the industry’s conviction in the Kingdom’s trajectory. The agency aims to be globally connected, locally embedded, and trusted by world-class talent to deliver authentic experiences. Through each activation it not only builds international reputation but also solidifies the Kingdom’s bold ambition to become the home of esports and digital entertainment.
Ehsen Shah, CEO of B-Engaged, concluded, “As an agency, we don’t just bring star power,” said “We build moments that connect fans across passions and platforms. Delivering Ronaldo versus Kaká and having all the other tier 1 athletes front and center shows exactly what the Esports World Cup is capable of when sport and culture collide.”
