ATL Standard

In New York City, Paulo Neto of Atlanta United made history by becoming the first gamer to win two eMLS Cup titles. This victory marks his fifth eMLS competition win, making him the most successful player in eMLS history.

Neto entered the tournament as the top seed, ranked 17th in the EA FC Pro World Rankings. Among 14 teams, he was a favorite for the title. The eMLS Cup Qualifiers took place on March 12 and 13 at OS Studios in Manhattan, where each gamer played 13 matches against other participants.

Neto finished third with eight wins, three losses, and two draws, scoring 101 goals in total. The top four players from the Qualifiers advanced directly to the Final Bracket of the eMLS Cup. The next best eight competed for the remaining spots.

The Final Bracket was held on March 14 at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. In the quarterfinals, Neto defeated BeastUpChris with a score of 5-3 after an early red card for his opponent from Charlotte FC. He then faced RedLac from Toronto FC in a challenging semifinal match that ended 5-4 after extra time.

In the final match against GuiBarros from New York Red Bulls, who had won all his previous games, Neto secured victory with a score of 5-4. GuiBarros scored early but Neto managed to tie and eventually lead throughout the game.

This was Neto's sixth appearance in an eMLS Cup final and his second title since his first win in 2022. Originally from Caruarú, Brazil, Neto signed a multi-year contract extension last year before the 2024 season began. Last year he became the first professional gamer to win four eMLS titles.

By reaching this year's final, Neto also qualified for the EA FC Pro World Championship which will feature the world's top 32 gamers. Since joining Atlanta United in 2020, Neto has won eight titles overall: four in eMLS and three more representing Atlanta United in other competitions. He also became World Nations Champion with Brazil at the FIFAe Nations Cup in 2023.