What’s the story?
Lionel Messi has solidified himself as one of the true greats of the game. Since his introduction to the world at the tender age of 16, the Argentine has grown from strength to strength en route to one of the greatest careers of all time. But what makes Messi tick? It’s quite surprising to note that one of the world’s best footballers actually takes his inspiration from video games!
Messi’s claim to fame is hardly ever questioned, and his undying faith in FC Barcelona is there for all to see. Hence it should come as no surprise that in FIFA too, Messi uses Barca tactics successfully.
In case you didn’t know…
Messi is an avid gamer and teammates at Barcelona have confirmed several times that the Barca ace is almost always found on his PlayStation playing a game of the latest FIFA edition. Messi himself admitted to being a competitive player who hates losing, and when you’re using the inside tactics of one of the best teams in the world, it can be pretty frustrating for your opponent.
Leo Messi reportedly spends three hours or more on his PlayStation after training at the Barcelona training ground, for both recreational as well as professional reasons, perfecting his craft via virtual mediums. He also ends up spending his time online without fellow gamers knowing it’s actually Messi at the other end!
The heart of the matter
Messi himself reported that many of the Barcelona tactics used on the pitch make their way onto the FIFA screens as well with Messi often stifling his opponents with frustrating possession football as is the ‘tiki-taka’ way around Catalunya.
The scientific methodology used by the likes of FIFA and PES to get the very best out of the player makes for interesting viewing and many times real life players wait for their own ratings to see how they fared in the elite video game. For Messi too, this is no different. He often uses his attributes in the game and exploits it to the fullest and tries to incorporate little changes in his game inspired from FIFA too, proving just how much of an impact a virtual setting can have on real life.
What’s next?
The lines between real and virtual are more blurred than ever. Football superstars often alternate between real life football and virtual football throughout the day, marking the importance of games such as FIFA in everyday life. It’s even a matter of fun debate in player dressing rooms with the very best in football comparing each other’s ratings and in some cases even tweeting EA Sports on what they needed to change.
Author’s take
FIFA and PES no doubt bring fans closer to their superstars and a sense of existence is visible as unknowingly fans play their favourite football stars who apply tactics to win games. The likes of Messi and Ronaldo are all playing the game, so next time you see familiar club tactics, make sure you message the gamer, you never know what you might find!
