Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazário de Lima has invested in eSports organization CNB, the team announced on its Facebook page over the weekend.
Ronaldo, as he is better known, acquired 50 percent of the Brazilian team in collaboration with Brazilian poker player Andre Akkari. He is believed to be the bigger name football player — retired or still playing — to publicly venture into eSports. Founders Cleber “Fuzi” Fonseca and Carlos “Furia” Junior along with shareholder Igor Federal will retain the other 50 percent.
Get The Latest Soccer Tech News In Your Inbox!
CNB, which began competing in Counter-Strike 15 years ago, currently fields a League of Legends team in the Brazilian League of Legends circuit or CBLoL.
“Time for a hobby, Blumers!” wrote Ronaldo on his Facebook in translation from Portuguese confirming the news. “… Me and Andre Akkari will invest in the team and accompany this phenomenon are the eSports internet, with more than 70 million viewers worldwide.”
In the U.S., a number of NBA players, such as Brooklyn Nets point guard Jeremy Lin and Boston Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko have entered the eSports arena in addition to retired Los Angeles Lakers’ Rick Fox and Shaquille O’Neal.