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Gucci and ESL FACEIT Group, the world’s leading competitive games and esports company are proud to announce their short-form documentary series, GG Legends. The series will follow the lives of some of the most successful gamers and esports players, giving insight into their struggles to overcome adversity and achieve greatness. These episodes connect through three themes: passion, desire, and struggle, as well as the determination required to succeed in a difficult environment.
Role models in esports are Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden, Team Vitality cornerstone Mathieu “Zywoo” Herbaut, and the star of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), as well as Co-Owners of Team Liquid Aerial Powers. Each episode focuses on the journey of the protagonist to stardom and reflects on their unique personal stories.
Today’s episode of the series premieres on Gucci’s YouTube Channel. It tells the story of Jorien van der Heijden (one of the most respected broadcasters in esports) and is a pioneer for women involved in esports. Sheever’s episode reveals her story of breast cancer diagnosis, and her journey to remission. This episode shows that anyone with a horrible illness doesn’t have to define them or their identity.
The second chapter of the CS:GO legend Mathieu Herbaut will be released in the next few months. He was the youngest player to ever receive an invitation to the FACEIT Pro League at 16 years old. Zywoo was a student first. He didn’t start a professional organization until 2018, when he joined Team Vitality. It is one of the most renowned esports organizations worldwide, and he has remained a stronghold to this day. Zywoo’s legacy has been an inspiration to the next generation of esports talent. It shows that anyone can be a professional with hard work and dedication.
The third episode will feature Aerial Powers, a Minnesota Lynx basketball player and Team Liquid Brand Ambassador. The 2019 WNBA Championship winner is a passionate gamer from childhood. He also serves as a brand ambassador for Team Liquid and chairs the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force. This task force creates a space for women and people of color in esports.
This series is part of an ongoing partnership between Gucci Gaming Academy and EFG. It was launched in 2022 and is centered around providing support structures for young gamers. The academy is the first program to be created by a luxury fashion company to help young esports talents go pro. It provides in-game coaching, physical and psychological support, hardware, and access to the extensive Gucci and EFG networks. The FACEIT Pro League is a highly competitive, moderated, single-queue environment that allows players to socialize, practice, and improve. All Gucci Gaming Academy players are from this.