México Quetzales Crowned at Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football
México Quetzales - Armadillos FC wins it all as the tournament wraps with excitement, emotion, and six clubs bound for the Games of the Future 2025
México Quetzales - Armadillos FC is your Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football champions!
After five electrifying days of competition at ADNEC, the final whistle has blown, and México Quetzales - Armadillos FC came out on top as victors. It not only claimed the title but secured the top spot among the elite at the upcoming Games of the Future 2025, taking place this 18–23 December in Abu Dhabi.
In a spectacular grand finale, México Quetzales - Armadillos FC went head-to-head with CM JARDIM in a match that had it all, end-to-end action, digital precision, and explosive athleticism on the pitch.
The digital round set the pace with a tight 3-3 finish, before the clubs clashed on the field in a high-intensity showdown that ended 3-1, with the final score of 6-4.
“Abu Dhabi has given us such a warm welcome, and an even warmer goodbye until December, the organization, the culture and surroundings have made it easier to compete,” said Rodrigo Ulibarri, player, México Quetzales - Armadillos FC.
Third Place Match:
The battle for third place was anything but routine. Greni Smith dominated Zero Tenacity in the digital round with a 6–2 scoreline. But Zero Tenacity pushed back fiercely on the field, scoring four goals in an attempt to flip the match, only for Greni Smith to hold their ground and find the net once more to seal a dramatic win and third-place finish with a total score of 7-6.
“The team is proud. We know we still have a lot of work to do before December. Everything we’ve gone through to get here has been worth it, and we’ll be back stronger and aiming to win,” said Omeragic Nizam, player, Greni Smith.
Semifinal Results:
Earlier in the day, the semifinals also had lots of drama and passion on display.
The clash between México Quetzales - Armadillos FC and Zero Tenacity had fans on the edge of their seats. The clubs went head-to-head, finishing the digital stage in a draw and moving on to yet another draw on the field, with a total score of 4-4. The tensions were high, and the yellow cards were flying, with six yellow cards raised in one match, all the way until the shootouts left México Quetzales - Armadillos FC victorious.
CM Jardim gained the upper hand early in the digital round, winning 3–1. But Greni Smith fought hard on the pitch, tying 2–2 in the physical stage. With the advantage secured digitally, CM Jardim booked their place in the final with a composed and clinical showing, with a total score of 5-3.
Headed to the Games of the Future 2025:
Now we are in a position to confirm the clubs that officially qualified for The Games of the Future 2025:
- México Quetzales - Armadillos FC
- CM JARDIM
- Greni Smith
- Zero Tenacity
- FC WhiteBird
- La Crema
These clubs will return to ADNEC in December to battle it out in the Phygital Football arena.
The Journey Ends Here — For Now
Phygital Contenders: Abu Dhabi – Football was a glimpse into the future of sport, where digital and physical sync to create something entirely new.
Relive the moments, meet the champions, and stay tuned as we count down to December:
Organized by ASPIRE, delivered by Ethara, and under global rights holder Phygital International, the tournament was the final stop on the road to the Games of the Future 2025, and a defining moment in phygital sport history.
