I like football as much as I like video gaming. Seeing my winning team brings me joy, and accomplishing a kill streak on Valorant makes me happy, too. Now, it’s only natural that footballers enjoy this form of entertainment, too. After all, despite the fame, money, and athletic performances, most are still young lads who enjoy the simple things in life.
By simple things, I mean that gaming is probably the go-to hobby for a vast majority of mankind. Wherever you come from, you might have access to a device—whether it’s a computer or a mobile phone – to play realistic and enticing virtual pastimes. Although I enjoy casino classics such as dice games, the titles we are now interested in are mostly names that are considered eSports.
Now, I want to explore the relationship between football players and operating a virtual entertainment system. There is so much to say, and forgive me if I forget to mention your favourite athlete or sport. The truth is that these pros can be hardcore competitors, and they play many big titles in the comfort of their rooms and even in sports arenas. Should I elaborate a bit further?
Neymar Jr and Griezmann, Both Avid Fans of Battle Royale
A little research goes a long way. The name Neymar Jr. tends to come up very often when we put “soccer” and video enthusiast in the same sentence. I know that the Brazilian attacker is an avid user and spends much of his free time operating on a massive and very expensive PC setup.
He shares with Antoine Griezmann – apart from being a massively adored athlete – a burning passion for a particular genre, battle royale. Popularised by AAAs such as Fortnite, battle royales are shooting exercises where the arena gets restricted over time, making for intense and strategic fights. The most popular battle royale I know include:
- Fortnite
- Overwatch
- Valorant
- Apex Legends
- PUBG
- Warzone
If you are one of the best Fortnite shooters out of the 500 million people recorded in March 2023, you might have had the chance to play a map or two with one of these famous sportsmen. I’ll say it again: put the glamour and the sport aside, and footballers are just regular dudes who enjoy nothing more than spending hours playing, streaming, and breaking records on this type of pastime.
Football (Obviously!)
A question crosses my mind from time to time: if a soccer pro gets to play FIFA or PES, does this count as overtime work? Joke aside, I believe these titles are a must-have in their catalogue. However, there are big differences between the types of football classics you can play.
First, let’s mention the re-baptized EA FC 24, previously known as the FIFA series. The graphics are gorgeous and technologically advanced, and playing it feels more like a nice old football match, rather than a purely footballistic simulation. I remember the Pro Evolution Soccer series, which was discontinued but used to be big in the entertainment industry.
Football manager software is different because you don’t get to play the match but have an overview of your team’s performance. I’ve realised that it’s very much for football connoisseurs, and there are reasons to think that actual football stars need to play it as we speak.
David Beckham, owner of an eSport team
David Beckham is arguably one of the greatest of all time, and although he never got the chance to win the World Cup, his passion for competition is still very much alive. Parallel owns two actual football teams and has co-owned an eSport team since June 2020. The apt Guild Esports PLC doesn’t only compete in virtual sports, though. I realised players of the Guild play a lot of Street Fighter 6, Fortnite, Valorant, or even F4 Esports.
It is no surprise that soccer and the graphic pleasures industry are directly intertwined. After all, there is a lot of money involved. While I don’t know if Beckham is any good at these classics, the man gives opportunities for young e-athletes to shine at their favourite disciplines—a class act from Beckham, who maintains a very good reputation as always.
Mesut Özil on the Path to Pro Competitor?
This persistent rumour on Planet Football was that Mesut Özil wanted to become a pro gamer. The German 2014 World Cup winner is indeed an avid amateur in virtual entertainment. I hear that, just like Beckham, he’s involved in an eSport (M10 Esports) and is considered a very sharp opponent in many titles, including Fortnite.
His retirement in March 2023 made it clear that the 35-year-old is looking for new fields to conquer. To this date, there’s no clear sign that Mesut has effectively become a pro gamer, but one can dream!
Any athlete who is into that hobby will give you this controversial comparison. Indeed, pro-gaming has many similarities with being an actual pro-athlete. Of course, professional competitors don’t sweat as much. However, this isn’t to say that eSport isn’t difficult. I love that it’s accessible to many, the competition is ruthless, and working, say, 5 hours a day is the absolute minimum to become a pro!