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eISL is one of the best opportunities for a FIFA player to start their professional gaming career. The first season of eISL commenced in November 2021 and the League Stages are currently ongoing.
SC East Bengal is a team that is at the top of the current League standings. Represented by Shayantan Mondal and Ankit Gupta, the club is all set to fight it out in the upcoming Grand Finals. In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’s Debolina Banerjee, Shayantan talks about eISL, SC East Bengal, FIFA Global Series, and more.
Shayantan's journey in FIFA esports
Q. Tell us more about your journey as a professional FIFA player. When did you start playing the game?
Shayantan: The journey started back in 2014 when I started participating in gaming events in college. I would participate in various local summer tournaments. FIFA was just a way to earn some cash and make myself more financially independent. I got my big break and national recognition back in 2018 when I won 38 out of 40 games in the FUT Champs. At first, to me, it did not seem like a significant accomplishment, but as the word spread and people came to know, I got my first ‘Aha’ moment as an esports player. My journey as a professional FIFA player has gone through varying degrees of crests and troughs, and I want to thank my family and friends for their love and support.
Q. Picking a professional career in esports is quite tough. When did you realize that you wanted to transition from being a casual FIFA player to a professional one?
Shayantan: After getting selected for the eISL recently, I decided to pursue gaming as a professional career. It has been a tough decision. While arriving at my decision, I burned the midnight oil thinking about the opportunity costs of pursuing FIFA professionally. Still, with all the opportunities in India and globally, I decided to pursue it. I am thankful to my parents, family, and friends for their tremendous support and encouragement! This would not have been possible without them.
Q. What is your take on the FIFA esports scenario in India? What measures can be taken to make it even more popular in the country?
Shayantan: The scenario in India is still developing, and it will take some time to mature. In addition, you have to consider the costs associated with playing FIFA, which hinders the new generation from taking up gaming.
Mobile gaming is on the rise, and mobile phones worth INR 10-12K can easily support games like PUBG Mobile. Comparatively, to play FIFA, you would need a console, a FIFA CD, and then buy FIFA points to compete professionally in the multiplayer mode.
To answer your question on popularity, I believe more events with attractive prize money and international events in India can drive towards making the game more popular.
Q. Since EA comes up with a FIFA version every year, which one has been your favorite so far?
Shayantan: FIFA 18 has been my favorite version of the game as the gameplay suited my build-up and hold playstyle. There were no shortcuts to scoring, and players had to be patient to score a goal. Overall, for me, the game felt very smooth and I experienced fewer in-game glitches.
Q. eISL is one of the best platforms that professional FIFA players in India can use to showcase their talent. What has your experience been like?
Shayantan: I agree that eISL is an excellent platform for professional players. I have learned a lot about the game, how to suit myself differently in various situations, ways to improve my techniques and skills, and much more. In addition, I have learned how to navigate challenging scenarios in the game. However, living in a bio-bubble (hotel away from family) has not been easy. Still, I have gained many new friends here and enjoyed many light-hearted moments, such as playing cricket, celebrating birthdays, etc. These days will remain etched on my mind. Whether I win or lose in the finals, I will be walking home with unforgettable memories of a very distinguished network of talented individuals!
Q. SC East Bengal have played 19 matches in total and are currently at the top of the League standings. Can you cast your mind back to a memorable moment in any one of your matches?
Shayantan: My best game in the eISL was against (Home/Away) Jamshedpur FC. My tactics against my opponent were spot on, and I thoroughly enjoyed my performance. I scored 5 goals in that match. Looking back, I earned a lot of confidence and satisfaction in my ability to perform at the highest level. Shoutout to my opponent Arvind Mass who played the perfect game with spot-on tactics.
Q. Since one of the three matches in eISL has to be a co-op match, how do you ensure that you have proper synergy with your teammate in case of such matches?
Shayantan: I feel having a streamlined communication style with your partner is essentially more important than practice. Understanding each other’s gameplay, acknowledging and improving our shortcomings, and adapting to our strengths is more important than practicing co-op games.
I have fantastic communications with Ankit, and we openly talk about our areas of improvement and directly reciprocate feedback. In the grand scheme of things, we spend a lot of time off the monitor discussing topics of interest, which helps channel our efforts in the co-op games.
Q. If all goes well, SC East Bengal has a fair chance at qualifying for the Grand Finals. Do you have any specific strategy planned for that tournament?
Shayantan: No, we are here to just enjoy it and give our best. We will see how things go and are more focused on completing our league matches on a positive note.
Q. Only one eISL player will get the chance to represent the country in the FIFA Global Series 2022. What is your take on this massive opportunity?
Shayantan: Firstly, it is a matter of enormous honor to have the opportunity to represent your country. You don’t get many such moments in your life. From the perspective of an esports career, it is already a massive recognition and packs in a vast learning experience.
Q. On a lighter note, since you are a passionate football fan who happens to be from West Bengal, which football team do you actually support – East Bengal or Mohun Bagan?
Shayantan: I am a die-hard East Bengal fan, but my family has always rooted for Mohun Bagan.
