Lionel Messi’s investment firm, Play Time, has backed the Football-based NFT game, Matchday, with a seed round funding of $21 million. Messi’s involvement is indicative of the growing popularity of blockchain gaming, which has proven to be resilient in challenging market conditions.
Lionel Messi has reportedly backed a Football-based NFT game through his investment firm called Play Time. The startup crypto game called Matchday will receive a whopping $21 million through its seed round funding alongside investors such as HackVC and CourtsideVentures.
Matchday is a developing Football-based NFT game where players can create their own fantasy rosters and earn rewards for playing and participating. The game will hold official licensing from FIFA and FIFPRO players association, signifying its legitimacy.
Lionel Messi is a massively popular Football playing icon, having played for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team. He’s known for having supported and contributed to numerous crypto projects such as ambassadors for the Sorare NFT game and has released his own NFT collection.
Alongside Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, a similarly iconic football legend, has also made strides in the crypto industry. In collaboration with Binance, the Portuguese football star has released his own NFT collection, giving players the chance to own a piece of the highlight of the superstar.
Other similarly high-profile individuals such as Elon Musk, Snoop Dog, and Mark Cuban have also endorsed cryptocurrencies.
The involvement of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the crypto industry highlights the growing trend of high-profile individuals supporting and contributing to blockchain projects. Elon Musk has been a vocal proponent of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Dogecoin. Snoop Dog, the famous rapper, and entrepreneur have also dabbled in the world of crypto, launching his own NFT collection.
Likewise, billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has expressed interest in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, investing in a number of crypto-related projects.
Blockchain Gaming on Rise
This comes after Blockchain Gaming has received popularity even after crypto markets have shown disparity. Investors have lost more than $2 trillion since last year. For the decentralized finance(DeFi) markets, more than 1.40 billion has been stolen due to malpractice and scams.
However, blockchain gaming is revealed to be the most resilient and the strongest use case for crypto so far. Showcasing that even despite bear market conditions, interest in the space by users has not wavered or is the least affected.
This is likely due to Blockchain gaming’s innate characteristic to be driven more by fun, rather than speculation and profit.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Lionel Messi’s investment in the Matchday NFT game is a testament to the growing popularity and potential of blockchain gaming.
Matchday looks to have a solid foundation for success alongside backing from strong investment firms and a solid gaming niche.
Edmond is a passionate writer for Video games, GameFi and Web3. He has worked for top GameFi companies and video game/crypto news websites.
