Sergioramos:): How Champions are Made

I’m incredibly thrilled to say that Nova eSports’ own Sergio Ramos came out on top of a pool of 27.4 million contestants, narrowed down to the 16 best players from all corners of the globe, to be crowned the first-ever Clash Royale World Champion!

As the manager and coach for Nova’s Clash Royale pro team, I’ve worked with countless world-class players. Some are natural prodigies, some pour endless hours of sweat and tears into their game, but more often than not, the players I work with have both finesse and the grit to back it up. But inevitably, only one player can be crowned the CCGS Worlds Winner - and so, I wondered:

“What does it take to become a champion?”.

There’s no formulaic answer here, but rather, I believe that greatness is built through cooperation, collaboration, and drive. Having had the opportunity to work alongside Sergio Ramos, who prevailed against the odds, I can truly say that I’m a witness to this greatness.

Pulling the layers back, we have a charismatic and lethal champion in Sergio Ramos. He’s a humble competitor who wears his heart on his sleeve because it's what drives him. Sergio thrives off of adversity and embodies what it truly means to have ambition and motivation.  He has an exceptional will,  and an unflinching, unrelenting desire to become the best through continually refining his craft. His inclination to altering fate is what sets Sergio apart from the rest, and is why the crown rests atop his head.

While in London, prior to the competition, Sergio’s mind never seemed at ease.  He constantly sought information and intelligence on his opponents, as well as data on his own performance.  I saw him develop his in-game mechanics through countless hours of personalized one-on-one training.  I saw him act as if fatigue and jet lag were irrelevant - he had to train .  An outsider might say Sergio’s almost obsessive, but Sergio’s inner circle knows his dedication and drive is what made him champion. While scouring the tools and analytics provided, Sergio immersed himself in gameplay to elevate his abilities to the greatest extent possible. I witnessed him enforce intensely-extensive hours onto himself to ensure he felt prepared (or as prepared as humanly possible, in front of a crowd of thousands) for the world stage.

As the old adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and I believe the same applies to shaping a champion.  A structured support system and an engaged community have the ability to lift individuals up, push them, and bring them to a place where anything is possible. This is likewise essential to making a champion: Every Luke Skywalker has his Obi-Wan. Beyond simply winning or losing, guiding an individual or awakening something inside of them is crucial to fruition. This is a delicate process, but a necessary one, in ensuring success.

I truly believe the ability to triumph is within us all, lying dormant, waiting for a ray of light. Great people are not born, they are made.

Article by Lucifer, Nova's Clash Royale pro team manager and coach.