Thabo Moloi aka “Yvng Savage” has made history by becoming the first African Esports athlete to sign with the big organisation, Red Bull.
Red Bull South Africa welcomed Thabo “Yvng Savage” Moloi to the winner’s circle on 28 July 2020 via Twitter. His appointment has given South African fans and players a beacon of hope for the gaming future in South Africa.
The 18-year-old FIFA pro player first started making waves in the Esports scene back in 2018.
The then 16 year old made his appearance at the VS Gaming FIFA Festival where he participated in his very first competitive tournament.
His win in the competition left South Africa a huge mark in the gaming industry. Out of 512 players, Yvng Savage’s ability to come out at the top in his first event was indeed very impressive.
What was even more remarkable was the fact that this young talent borrowed a copy of the FIFA game and practiced it on his second hand console, which he bought with his lunch money.
In an interview done with Ginx Esports Tv, the youngster said, “In 2018, when I first started playing FIFA competitively, I didn’t have the latest console to practice on. I saved my lunch money and asked my parents to help me. That’s how I got a second-hand PlayStation 4.”
Before his first big win, he also had to convince his parents that he was not just sitting behind the console and wasting time.
But since then, his parents have been nothing short of supportive and have played a huge role in helping him balance between his schoolwork and practice time.
Soon after, he signed with Goliath Gaming and became the second FIFA player under their belt.
Yvng Savage was not there to play. He quickly proved his worth by clinching the first place in the 2019 FIFA eNations Cup South Africa Qualifier.
However, things were not always rainbows and butterflies for the rising star. In 2018 after winning in the VS gaming competition, he was sponsored to travel to Amsterdam to compete in the FIFA eWorld Cup Global Series Playoffs. But, was unable to do so because his passport did not arrive in time.
The young talent faced the same fate in 2019. This time round, he missed out the chance to travel to United Kingdom to compete in the FIFA eNations cup due to unexpected circumstances.
But, none of his setback has slowed him down. In early 2020, before the widespread of the pandemic happened, he managed to travel with Goliath Gaming to Dubai. It was his first time out of South Africa and the whole experience has ignited a strong sense of passion to push his boundaries to compete and win abroad even more.
With his hard work and determination, it is no surprise that his young talent has created quite a name for himself within the gaming industry. He is currently the number one FIFA player in the South African FIFA scene.
In 2020, he represented team eBafana Bafana alongside Goliath Gaming Player — Cassper Nyovest, Kagiso Rabada, and Sibusiso Vilakazi.
His gaming journey has taken him from a FIFA player at home to a professional player and the latest addition to his belt is securing the contract with Red Bull.
The youngster has plans on becoming an IT specialist when he leaves school. But for now, he is making the most out of his FIFA career and is focused on his goal to be the number one FIFA player in the world.
But with his competitive mind-set and strong will, hopefully, it will not be too long before he is crowned the champion of the world.
