Tess from Blue United eFC achieves Runner-Up in the eJ.LEAGUE eFootball™ Finals!

New York | Tokyo – Blue United eFC powered by Manchester City, the professional eSports team of Blue United Corporation, is pleased to announce that Tess achieved the runner-up position representing our partner, Kashima Antlers, at the eJ.LEAGUE eFootball™ 2024 season finals held on Saturday, May 18th, 2024.

This tournament is an eSports competition using the “eFootball™ series” involving all 40 clubs from the J1 and J2 leagues. The representative players who won their respective club selection tournaments from February 29th (Thursday) to March 31st (Sunday) advanced to the finals.

The finals, held in a tournament format, featured representative players from each J-Club competing in both the Mobile and PS5 divisions, with the total scores determining the outcome. Tess, along with Mobile division player Aoi Oyama, competed with the aim of becoming the best in Japan.

Kashima Antlers advanced smoothly from the first round to the Round of 16 held online on April 20th (Saturday) and 21st (Sunday) and progressed to the offline finals held on May 18th (Saturday). The total prize pool for this tournament was 20 million yen, making it one of the largest-scale competitions for this game title in Japan.

In the quarter-finals against Kyoto Sanga F.C., Oyama secured an initial victory with a 3-1 win. Although Tess lost 0-1, the team advanced to the semi-finals with a total score of 3-2. In the semi-final against Kagoshima United FC, after Oyama’s 1-2 loss, Tess showcased an impressive performance, winning 2-0. The team advanced to the finals with a score of 3-2 in the two matches.

The final broadcast against Yokohama F. Marinos attracted over 1,900 viewers, drawing significant attention to the match that would determine the top J-Club. Oyama’s first match ended in a 2-2 draw, and Tess tied 1-1, leading to an extension round in the Mobile division. Despite Oyama’s brave effort, he unfortunately lost 2-0. The total score was 3-5 over the three matches, and the team fell just short of becoming the champions of Japan.

Tess, who recently achieved the world number-one ranking in the eFootball 2024 mode, garnered significant attention and support during the broadcast.

Within BLU eFC, Tess is the youngest player, usually guided by teammates Tsakt, youxme, and Shishi. However, in this tournament, paired with the young 18-year-old Oyama, Tess took a more active role, encouraging his partner and celebrating goals with fist bumps.

Although eSports is often seen as a solitary activity, it actually requires significant teamwork and communication skills. Achieving runner-up is commendable, and Tess has grown as a player by taking on a leadership role.

Tess represented Kashima Antlers, a club deeply connected to our company, Blue United eFC. Since 2017, we have supported Kashima Antlers by establishing their New York office to gather the latest global information and expand their network. As their “Global Strategy Officer,” we support their activities, primarily in the US and Europe. We are delighted to have brought the passionate play of Kashima Antlers to many fans.

Tess’ comments:
“As a representative of the wonderful club Kashima Antlers, I was able to advance to the finals with Oyama. In the semi-finals, I believe I contributed to our comeback victory with my counter-attacking soccer. In the final, I aimed to take the lead and defend it, but unfortunately, I couldn’t secure the win, resulting in a draw in my match. Playing on a big stage was intense, and I felt the significance of each goal. I will work hard to win next year.”

Aoi Oyama’s comments:
“I really wanted to win, especially since my victory could have secured the championship for us. I started playing Winning Eleven 2021, and this was my first offline tournament. I didn’t expect to rank high, but competing equally with top players boosted my confidence. During the online tournament, Tess helped me a lot, so I was happy to repay him in the quarter-finals. I am not sure if I will compete again, but I will strive to return to this stage.”

eJ.LEAGUE eFootball™️ 2024 Season Final

– Quarterfinals to Finals –
Date: May 18th (Sat)
Format: Offline (Tokyo)
Official X: https://twitter.com/eJ_League

■Quarterfinals vs Kyoto Sanga F.C.
Game 1 (Mobile division Oyama) vs Doi / 3-1: 〇
Game2 (PS5 division Tess) vs Akita / 0-1: ●
Total / 3-2: 〇

■Semi-final vs Kagoshima United FC
Game 1 (Mobile division Oyama) vs Shigeta / 1-2: ●
Game 2 (PS5 division Tess) vs Kanayama / 2-0: 〇
Total / 3-2: 〇

■Final vs Yokohama F Marinos
Game 1 (Mobile division Oyama) vs Toyama / 2-2: △
Game 2 (PS5 division Tess) vs Hyogo / 1-1: △
Game 3 (Mobile division Oyama) vs Toyama / 0-2: ●
Total / 3-5: ●

About Blue United eFC
Name : Blue United eFC powered by Manchester City（BLU eFC）
Established: November 15th, 2018
Vision: Contribute to Japanese esports business development and globalization to make it one of the top industries in the world
HP: https://www.blueutd.com/efc/en/