United set for eFootball Championship Pro 2022

The tournament will see eight of the world’s biggest football clubs go up against each other, represented by three professional gamers each, on the eFootball 2022 video game.

United’s team, founded in 2019, consists of captain Eldridge O’Niel, Kamel El Morabet and Mikolaj Zietek. 

Ahead of the cup kicking off this Saturday (11 June), skipper O’Niel shared his high hopes while reflecting on the club’s eFootball road so far.

“The journey has been a rocky one, to say the least, because we had the first season, we struggled, we were a team of four,” O’Neil explained.

“We played first offline and then Covid came, and we went online. When .the switch came, we trained a lot and focused more on the team of three. 

“It suited us more because, in the cup, we finished in the top four and it was good for us because we were doubting ourselves. 

“In the second season, we were full of confidence, but we had to play online still. For us, it’s a bit rocky but I think this season, all of us we have a big belief that we can do really well and become champions. That’s the only goal.”

The competition’s eight clubs have been split into two groups of four, however unlike in previous versions, this year, matches will be played in a 1v1 format (previously 3v3), with every team member taking on a player from an opposing club. 

This weekend, each of our Reds will take on one of Bayern Munich’s trio in the opening round of matches. Monaco and Celtic are also in our group and are other teams that we will face in the following week.

The points gained are then tallied up and the three teams from each group with the highest totals at the end of the stage will advance to the knockout phase, which will be played on the third and final weekend, starting with the quarter-finals. 

United’s El Morabet has given an insight into our preparations ahead of the tournament for the new format.

“I think, in the squad, we have a good balance in the team. We are training a lot together,” the Frenchman said.  

“Last year, it was a cup competition, so we were playing three versus three but, this year, it’s a bit different because it’s one-versus-one competition, so we practice a lot, match together and play some games together. 

“We give tips on how we think that some players can be improved and stuff like that. So, it’s like teamwork and we try to improve together like this.”

You will be able to watch the tournament live and in full on ManUtd.com and our official YouTube channel from midday BST on Saturday, when the Reds face Bayern. Our match gets under way at 13:15 BST. 

And every time our Reds win throughout the competition, you can too. By entering the Konami's free eFootball Victory Giveaway competition, you will be in with the chance to win a 2021/22 United home shirt for every victory our players get, as well as being placed into a draw to win a signed Erik ten Hag jersey.

“The more support we get, the higher our moods are," Zietek, one third of United's eFootball trio, insisted. 

"You’re pushing us on to reach the goal we all want.

“I think his kind of help will bring the morale to the team, we’ll feel the support.”

Find out more about eFootball Championship Pro 2022 and our eSports team here. You can also follow Eldridge, Kamel and Mikolaj on social media.