At 20, João Afonso is the world champion of virtual football | Profile

João Afonso Vasconcelos (or Jafonso as he is known in the world) andQPorts) He started playing football on PlayStation at the age of four under the influence of his cousin. During his teens, he would play just for fun and on weekends or after school, if his parents allowed him, although “never for more than two hours,” he recalls in an interview with P3. “My parents were always very strict about it. I didn’t get my first PlayStation until I was 13. Until then, I used my cousin,” he adds.

With so many rules, it’s no wonder that playing soccer with the ball at your feet takes much longer than it does in the virtual world. That only changed when he discovered he could become a soccer player. eSports – He dedicated himself to the football simulation game known since 2023 as EA Sports FC (before that, it was called FIFA). The young man is 16 years old. Natural from Madeira He started at Boavista Virtual Football Club. At the age of 17, he signed his first professional contract with Luna Galaxy, owned by Liverpool player Diogo Jota, and made his debut for the Portuguese national team. eSports.

But that’s not all he does. João combines all this with the economics course he studies at Iscte, in Lisbon. In September he starts the third and final year of the degree.

“It was hard to balance the two, but I think I did a good job. In the second year I traveled a lot to be present at competitions. eSports From USA, UK and Sweden I was unable to attend most of the classes and even some of the exams. However, I only left two unfilled seats.

In virtual football competitions, he has won many titles – the Portuguese Cup, awards for national champion, runner-up and international champion in the Football League. eSports North America. But just a few weeks ago he won the title that any virtual soccer player would probably aspire to: world champion in the sport.

“I didn’t expect to win, but I worked hard for it. I’ve always said that I wanted to be the best player in the world, and to achieve that I had to be world champion. It was a dream and, above all, a goal for me. I always say that the best part of being world champion for the first time is to be able to do it twice, so I want to win it again,” reveals the 20-year-old.

The competition was held in Saudi Arabia with the participation of hundreds of virtual football players from all over the world. John He reached the final of the Esports World Cup, where he defeated Brazilian Yong 6-2. In addition to the trophy, he received 270,000 euros.

PlayStation 6 hours a day, gym and diet for football players

If you think playing virtual football is just about having a PlayStation controller in your hand, you are wrong. When competition dates approach, João plays between five and six hours a day, accompanied by coach Armando Valle who always points out what needs improvement.

“When I don’t have competitions, I train for one to three hours a day, but I don’t have a set schedule for that. I adjust according to my availability…,” he says.

Furthermore, it is important to analyse football matches and know the characteristics of each player (for example, who has the best left foot or the best long pass). It is also advisable to follow a healthy diet like footballers, as well as regular visits to the gym – although between travelling and studying, João admits that he has not set foot there yet this year.

In competitions, the hours of play are endless, and when played in person, the arenas are filled with spectators. According to João, players can play for an hour or eight hours, often without much time to take a break. They start with about 500 specialists. Over the days of competition, they are eliminated. Only two remain for the final.

“In October last year, I qualified for a tournament in London where I started playing at 11am and finished at 6 or 7pm, if I wasn’t eliminated. He was literally playing from morning to night. In that case, I had breaks, but it happened to me that I didn’t.

How is it sustained? Players in this sport receive prizes when they qualify and win, and these prizes can reach millions of euros. Furthermore, anyone who is part of the team also receives a salary.

However, in Portugal, there is still a flaw in the world of esports: it is not regulated. The Socialist Party put forward the proposal in July with the aim of implementing it within a year, and João agrees with it, because, he says, it would be positive not only for the players but also for the sustainability and recognition of the sport’s forms. eSports.

Next steps? Joao only knows that the next tournament will be an international in November. But he says: “I really love what I do, but I admit that from time to time I miss being a kid and playing just for fun…”