Soccer and gaming have always had a close relationship. For many fans, soccer games are an important part of their love of the sport.
As we detailed in our post ‘MLS in Video Games’, many soccer fans from across the globe got their entry point into MLS through games like Fifa. While many soccer players play video games, other soccer players have turned to a different type of gaming outside of their professional careers, and this game is poker. Some of the biggest names in soccer have put their competitive skills to the test at the felt, with some playing in top tournaments and even becoming poker ambassadors.
Below are four soccer legends who have mastered the poker table.
Neymar
Brazilian superstar Neymar is making a name for himself in poker. In 2022, Neymar made his debut at a World Series of Poker event in Las Vegas. He had previously earned his place at a 2016 World Series of Poker tournament after winning a preliminary PokerStars event. Unfortunately, he was unable to take part because it clashed with his international duties with Brazil at the Olympic games.
The fact that Neymar has qualified for two World Series of Poker events shows that he is a serious poker player and a soccer legend to look out for at future tournaments.
Cristiano Ronaldo
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Arguably the biggest soccer star on the planet alongside Messi, and currently playing in the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo has also turned his discipline and competitive mindset to poker. His preferred version of the game is Texas Hold’em, and he famously played Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad fame in a duel match for PokerStars, which he won.
At the time, Ronaldo was a PokerStars ambassador joining a roster of top players, including Daniel Negreanu and Chris Moneymaker. Both are considered two of the most famous poker players to have played the game, with Moneymaker emulating Ronaldo’s rags-to-riches story by winning the 2003 WSOP Main Event after entering and winning an online satellite tournament. Moneymaker is credited with inspiring a whole generation of players and continues to be an ambassador for the game as a pro for ACR Poker.
Like Moneymaker, Ronaldo’s passion for poker will inspire many new players to discover the game. With Ronaldo on the cusp of retirement, we will hopefully see more of him at the felt, and maybe even a rematch between the Portuguese soccer star and Aaron Paul.
David Beckham
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MLS legend and owner of Inter Miami, David Beckham, is a global icon. Unlike his many business ventures, Beckham’s poker games are often played privately with friends and fellow teammates, and he hasn’t embarked on a professional poker career yet. There is a story that while playing for Real Madrid, he went to Vegas with Ronaldo and Zidane and was very successful at the poker table.
His prowess at the table clearly reached the ears of Neymar, with News 18 reporting that the Brazilian star wants to challenge Beckham to a game, saying, “I would like to face David Beckham; I think Beckham is a guy that must play and he must be smart.”
Gerard Piqué
As one of the most highly decorated players in soccer history, Piqué has won it all. Not content with just being successful on the soccer pitch, he has also turned his attention to the poker table and has mastered the game. As a measure of his success, he is currently 45th on Spain’s all-time money list with winnings of $738,611.
At his most recent tournament in 2023, he placed 6th, and in the previous year, he recorded his biggest win, placing 2nd at the European Poker Tour Barcelona and winning $392,515. Now that he has retired from soccer, Piqué can focus on his poker career and become a poker legend to equal his success on the pitch.