Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku and Max Verstappen recently went head-to-head in a virtual showdown, showcasing their skills in the sports they have both mastered. They first competed in EA FC, formerly known as FIFA, before switching to the official F1 game.
While Verstappen was humble enough to accept that he was not the favorite against Doku in EA FC, the Belgian winger backed himself to beat the Dutch driver in F1. “I’m backing myself,” Doku replied when asked what he made of his chances against the Red Bull driver.
As expected, Doku proved no match for Verstappen, who is not only world-class in real life but also exceptional in the world of sim racing. All Verstappen needed to do to beat Doku was complete the three laps of racing, as the Manchester City star was disqualified.
Doku’s race got off to a rough start when he received a drive-through penalty for a jump start, as he launched off the line before the five red lights went out. Failing to serve the penalty, Doku was then disqualified.
Speed vs. Speed
The fastest driver in the world @Max33Verstappen, takes on the fastest player at @ManCity, @JeremyDoku in @EASPORTSFC and @EASPORTSF1
Head to @90min_Football for the full video pic.twitter.com/3jFdIHIrg5
— EA SPORTS™ F1® (@EASPORTSF1) December 30, 2024
Verstappen, realizing the mistake his opponent made, just had a wild laugh. The 27-year-old could not believe Doku “got disqualified” and referred to him as a “naughty” driver. While Verstappen beat Doku convincingly in the F1 game, the Belgian winger will be happy that he at least beat the Dutchman in EA FC.
Verstappen’s FIFA battle against Doku
Unlike their one-sided duel in the F1 game, Verstappen proved to be a tough challenge for Doku in EA FC. Taking control of his boyhood club PSV, Verstappen held Doku’s Manchester City to a goalless draw. They then played a golden goal match, where Doku scored first, securing the win. But not without a hard-fought effort.
Verstappen was never going to be an easy opponent. He has often stated that he hates losing in anything and puts in relentless effort to improve in whatever he pursues.
FIFA (now EA FC) is one such game where Verstappen has spent countless hours practicing. As a matter of fact, back in 2019, he was also ranked 21st in FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT), showing how good he is in the game.
