Will it save the game? The surprising sponsorship received by "Legionnaire"

GEELY Israel, imported and marketed in Israel by GEO Mobility of the Union Group, is entering the Israeli gaming world with a sponsorship agreement and exclusive cooperation with "Legionnaire", the online game that has quickly become one of the most prominent phenomena on the web. Under the agreement, GEELY will be the only commercial brand to be integrated into the game.

"Legionnaire", developed by Gal Bartov, allows users to create a virtual career as a soccer player and make decisions along the way that affect his professional path. The choices made by the user can affect achievements, transfers between clubs, and the continuation of the career, with a different story being built in each game.

Since its launch about two weeks ago, the game has accumulated more than 300,000 unique users and more than 4 million games have already been played. The idea started as a humorous experiment inspired by a Colombian game, but following its adaptation to the realities of Israeli soccer, it gained significant momentum on social networks. Later, it was reported that more than 5 million careers had been started in the game.

The uniqueness of "Legionnaire" lies, among other things, in scenarios identified with the world of Israeli soccer. Beyond accumulating points and improving the player's abilities, users are required to make decisions in unconventional situations, including salary delays, questionable nutritional supplements, nightlife, and meetings with agents. Bartov previously told an interview that it was important for him to also include the less flattering moments of local soccer in the game.

Now GEELY is becoming part of the experience itself. As part of the collaboration, the user will be able to choose to receive sponsorship from GEELY during their career, and subsequently choose one of the brand's models as the vehicle that will accompany their virtual career. In doing so, the company seeks to turn the connection into something that goes beyond traditional advertising and is embedded within the game.

Eyal Amit, Marketing Manager of GEELY Israel, said: "Legionnaire has managed to create a broad community and exceptional engagement in a short time, and this is exactly the kind of connection we are looking for as a brand whose core activity is technology and which strives to be relevant to the daily lives of its customers."

The game's creator, Gal Bartov, also addressed the collaboration and said: "We were looking for a brand that connects to the values of innovation, technology, and progress, but also one that the Israeli public already knows and loves. GEELY fit us exactly at that point."

The connection comes at a time of significant growth for GEELY. In the first half of 2026, the brand was ranked first in retail sales of passenger cars in China. In Israel, 5,589 vehicles of the brand were delivered by the end of August, an increase of 120% compared to the same period last year. GEELY is ranked ninth in the Israeli car market, with the E5 model, formerly known as EX5, ranked second in deliveries among mainstream electric models in Israel.

For Bartov, too, the rapid success of the game comes with a price. The high usage volumes generate significant operating costs, and he said: "I am losing a lot of money on this, you can imagine what kind of traffic and what cloud costs it takes." Now, the collaboration with GEELY may provide the growing online venture with a significant commercial connection, just as it continues to gain users and expand.