Revolution's JAFONSO captures eMLS Cup against Inter Miami’s K1john in bracket final showdown

Last night, at ACL Live at the Moody Theater in Austin, TX, the eMLS Cup presented by TikTok came to an end. João Afonso “JAFONSO” Vasconcelos, representing the New England Revolution, proudly lifted the trophy and was declared the champion. His opponent in the final was John “K1john” Kamel from the Inter Miami CF team, who unfortunately lost 6-0. The 2024 eMLS season may have ended, but JAFONSO and K1john will continue to represent eMLS at the EA SPORTS FC Pro World Championship, taking place later this Summer, after being automatically qualified. This event was part of this year's SXSW.

"I dedicated the entire season to reaching my desired outcome of winning the eMLS Cup, and now I am excited to display my skills in the FC Pro World Championship," stated JAFONSO, who earned $14,000 USD from the $75,000 USD prize pool of the season by prevailing in his three contests today with a combined result of 18-3. "The most significant pointer I can offer players who aspire to become professional is to stay true to yourself. Be self-assured. Trust in your abilities and continue to pursue your ambitions."

"It was challenging to be within reach of the title, but I am content with what I have achieved this eMLS season," expressed K1john, hailing from Egypt, who reached the professional level by competing in local and non-professional competitions. "Being in front of the supporters undoubtedly fueled me up, especially during my playoff match against NR7. I will cherish this outcome tonight, but what excites me the most is that my performance in the eMLS Cup has earned my qualification for the FC Pro World Championship. It is the most notable platform we all dream to compete on."

During the 2024 eMLS season, 22 players who belonged to MLS Clubs participated in two League Series competitions, and they had to go through qualifiers, group play, and finals to earn a top spot. Throughout the season, they played a total of 403 matches. The top six seeds were able to move forward automatically to the eMLS Cup. Paulo "Paulo Neto" Neto, the League Series 1 winner from Atlanta United, defeated Diogo "Diogo" Mendes from Austin FC (5-1) in the cup. This victory made him the first eMLS player to win four eMLS trophies. João Afonso "JAFONSO" Vasconcelos from the New England Revolution won the League Series 2 championship and was able to beat Niklas "NR7" Raseck (5-2), the 2023 eMLS Cup champion from St. Louis CITY SC. Olle "Ollelito" Arbin from New York City FC, Diogo "Diogo" Mendes from Austin, Gustavo "Gustavo" Nascimento from Charlotte FC, and Ehsan "Lamps" Zakeri from Minnesota United were also able to make it to the eMLS Cup.

On March 8, the remaining 16 clubs competed in the eMLS Cup Group Stage at Austin FC's Q2 Stadium. The six teams that advanced were Alan "AlanAvi" Avila from FC Dallas, John "K1john" Kamel from Inter Miami CF, Thiago Martin "ThiagoCapo12" Vazquez from Philadelphia Union, Cormac "doolsta" Dooley from New York Red Bulls, Mohamed "KingCJ0" Diop from D.C. United, and Niklas "NR7" Raseck from St. Louis CITY SC. These six teams secured the final six slots, which then set up the 12 team eMLS Cup bracket final.

On March 9, before the Austin FC vs. St. Louis CITY SC match at Q2 Stadium, the 22 eMLS athletes mingled with the crowd and played games on consoles. Lots of fans got to try their skills against some of the most talented gamers out there, creating a seamless blend of real-life soccer and digital competition.

Jesse Perl, the VP of Brand Marketing for MLS, expressed his delight at the conclusion of an amazing season. He highlighted the league's worldwide expansion with an impressive showing of talented international players and former eMLS champions who demonstrated their exceptional skills on the virtual field. The enthusiastic and exhilarating atmosphere in the stadium was electric as fans came out in full support of their Clubs, competing at the highest level of esports competition.

Sam Turkbas, FC Pro Commissioner, expressed excitement for the first EA SPORTS FC Pro World Championship, where JAFONSO and K1john will battle on a global level. The inaugural season of eMLS has been unforgettable, showcasing the competitors' exceptional talents and determination to come out on top.

MLS broadcasted the eMLS bracket finals on its Twitch and YouTube channels with well-known hosts including Faizal Khamisa, Dan Gaskin, and Mike Labelle. Gaskin was even recognized as the reigning Esports Awards Caster of the Year.

People who were present at the event experienced unique and exclusive eMLS prizes, a personalized photo booth that electronically put the audience's pictures before an exceptional eMLS background, EA SPORTS FC 24 game stations where they could challenge each other, and an entrance tunnel displaying various MLS jerseys.

The lineup for the 2024 season includes renowned collaborators such as TikTok, DoorDash, EA SPORTS, and Avant.

Quick Overview of eMLS Cup Outcomes:

The seventh Knockout Round saw AlanAvi emerge victorious against Doolsta in a 5-3 scoreline during extra time. Lamps, ranked sixth, managed to defeat KingCJ0 by a narrow margin of 4-3. K1john pulled off a win against ThiagoCapo12 to advance to the next round with a score of 4-3. Meanwhile, a surprising blowout occurred when NR7 dominated the game with a 7-1 win over Gustavo, ranked fifth.

In the quarterfinal round of the competition, K1john defeated Paulo Neto with a score of 8-4. NR7, who was ranked number 12 and previously unranked, managed to defeat Diogo with a close score of 5-4 in extra time. JAFONSO, ranked second, won against AlanAvi with a score of 7-1, while Ollelito won by a margin of 7-3 against Lamps, who was ranked sixth.

In round two of the semifinals, JAFONSO beat Ollelito with a score of 5-2, while K1john defeated NR7 with a score of 9-3.