Football: Six clubs book ticket to Games of Future in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Latin American football club México Quetzales – Armadillos clinched the Abu Dhabi qualifying title and secured their positions along with five other clubs to the Games of the Future 2025, which will also take place in the emirate from December 18-23.When the final whistle blew at the five-day 'Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi' at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Armadillos emerged from a thrilling finale against CM Jardim.Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi took centre stage, as 21 elite clubs from around the world went head-to-head over five days of competition – a mix of physical and digital versions of football.Held from July 25-29, the city skyline was the backdrop for the some of the leading phygital football athletes ranging from 19-40 years old showing off their skills. In the summit clash, Armadillos edged out Jardim in a hard-fought contest that brought together lightning-fast digital gameplay and high-impact physical skills.There was nothing to separate fro both teams in the first stage with a 3-3 draw at the break. But the Mexican outfit found another gear with a partisan crowd behind them and finished the second stage 3-1 to win by an aggregate of 6-4.'We have had a lot of pressure from day 1 and it would have been such a disappointment if we didn't get a spot, we brought our A-game, and we know we are a fan favourite team,' said Rodrigo Ulibarri, player, México Quetzales - Armadillos FC.The battle for third place was also packed with a lot of drama and, yet, inversely to the direction of the final. Greni Smith dominated Zero Tenacity in the digital round with a 6–2 scoreline. But Zero Tenacity pushed back fiercely on the field, scoring four goals in an attempt to flip the match. However, Greni Smith held their ground and found the net once more to seal a dramatic win at the finish line with a 7-6 edge on the board.The semi-finals were also close affairs, indicating the intense competition throughout. Armadillos defeated Zero Tenacity in a dramatic penalty shootout after both stages ended in a 4–4 tie. On the other hand, Jardim earned their place in the final by beating Greni Smith, securing a 3–1 digital round win and drawing 2–2 on the field, for a final score of 5-3.The Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi - Football tournament, was brought to life by ASPIRE in collaboration with Ethara and global rights holder Phygital International.Nis Hatt, the Chief Executive Officer of Phygital International, said: 'The stage is now set for the Games of the Future in Abu Dhabi. It is the culmination of year-long dedication from athletes from around the world and we celebrate with them in this moment and look forward to what they, and many other athletes, will achieve later in the year.
'Abu Dhabi is the perfect international platform. It's future-focused, tech-driven, and already deeply invested in both sports and cyber competitions. It has the appetite, ability and infrastructure to host entirely new sport formats and do it well.'
Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
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