Nicolas Villalba bears all the hallmarks of a bona fide superhero. When we meet him via Zoom in his bedroom in Buenos Aires, he’s in Clark Kent mode: polite and unassuming, with a gentle smile. But put a PlayStation controller in his hand and load up a game of EA SPORTS FIFA to see a man transformed: nicolas99fc steps up, striking fear into the hearts of his opponents – not to mention goals into their nets.
The 23-year-old professional EA SPORTS FIFA player won last year’s eChampions League tournament representing David Beckham’s Guild Esports. As well as getting to lift the trophy in Stockholm, the Argentine earned almost €70,000 in winnings. As Villalba prepared to defend his title, we caught up with him to learn more about his triumph, his World Cup celebrations and his tactics.
After losing the first match of the final 3-1 on aggregate to Matias Bonanno, you came back from a 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the second to win 7-2 on aggregate. How did you pull off that spectacular comeback?
I always try to read Matias’s games because he’s amazing. Also, I was trying to be focused after losing the first two legs. I talked with my coach about what I should do and he said against players like Matias, you don’t have to play with any specific formations or tactics, you have to play with your talent and your heart. Then I started to score one, two, three, four – and, eventually, seven.
I was in my bedroom and my family were in the living room – it was my superstition. Us Argentinians, we believe a lot in superstitions. I screamed a lot after the last penalty and then I cried for ten minutes. Then, when Messi lifted the trophy, I started to cry again!
In football he’s amazing. But I think in the game, right now, he can’t beat me. He’s special so if he practised for one year, maybe he could be really, really good. But, for now, I am better than Messi.
I really like 4-4-2. I just try to play it simple. I want to attack with one midfielder and one staying back, but playing with both staying back is really good for me; I don’t know why, but it has helped me a lot. And I know the exact moment to change things. Maybe the game is really close, then you change the formation and you’re winning easily.
I analyse my games with my coach but I also try new formations. Maybe I already know 4-4-2 works against you so I try to play another formation, to see how to adapt. I do that a lot. If you win or lose, that’s OK. But try new things.
No, I don’t think it’s extra pressure. But I’ve got a motivation, because I am defending the title. That is really good, because we are all playing to be the champion but I want to defend my trophy. I would play right now if I could!
Hundreds have competed in online qualifiers to reach the group stage; from there, 64 will become 32 as the best advance to the knockouts. Both the group and knockout stage will take place at the Here East theatre in Stratford, London, before attention switches to Istanbul. There a double elimination bracket will decide the final eight, who will compete for the trophy and a prize pool of €260,000.
Nicolas Villalba bears all the hallmarks of a bona fide superhero. When we meet him via Zoom in his bedroom in Buenos Aires, he’s in Clark Kent mode: polite and unassuming, with a gentle smile. But put a PlayStation controller in his hand and load up a game of EA SPORTS FIFA to see a man transformed: nicolas99fc steps up, striking fear into the hearts of his opponents – not to mention goals into their nets.
The 23-year-old professional EA SPORTS FIFA player won last year’s eChampions League tournament representing David Beckham’s Guild Esports. As well as getting to lift the trophy in Stockholm, the Argentine earned almost €70,000 in winnings. As Villalba prepared to defend his title, we caught up with him to learn more about his triumph, his World Cup celebrations and his tactics.
After losing the first match of the final 3-1 on aggregate to Matias Bonanno, you came back from a 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the second to win 7-2 on aggregate. How did you pull off that spectacular comeback?
I always try to read Matias’s games because he’s amazing. Also, I was trying to be focused after losing the first two legs. I talked with my coach about what I should do and he said against players like Matias, you don’t have to play with any specific formations or tactics, you have to play with your talent and your heart. Then I started to score one, two, three, four – and, eventually, seven.
I was in my bedroom and my family were in the living room – it was my superstition. Us Argentinians, we believe a lot in superstitions. I screamed a lot after the last penalty and then I cried for ten minutes. Then, when Messi lifted the trophy, I started to cry again!
In football he’s amazing. But I think in the game, right now, he can’t beat me. He’s special so if he practised for one year, maybe he could be really, really good. But, for now, I am better than Messi.
I really like 4-4-2. I just try to play it simple. I want to attack with one midfielder and one staying back, but playing with both staying back is really good for me; I don’t know why, but it has helped me a lot. And I know the exact moment to change things. Maybe the game is really close, then you change the formation and you’re winning easily.
I analyse my games with my coach but I also try new formations. Maybe I already know 4-4-2 works against you so I try to play another formation, to see how to adapt. I do that a lot. If you win or lose, that’s OK. But try new things.
No, I don’t think it’s extra pressure. But I’ve got a motivation, because I am defending the title. That is really good, because we are all playing to be the champion but I want to defend my trophy. I would play right now if I could!
Hundreds have competed in online qualifiers to reach the group stage; from there, 64 will become 32 as the best advance to the knockouts. Both the group and knockout stage will take place at the Here East theatre in Stratford, London, before attention switches to Istanbul. There a double elimination bracket will decide the final eight, who will compete for the trophy and a prize pool of €260,000.
Nicolas Villalba bears all the hallmarks of a bona fide superhero. When we meet him via Zoom in his bedroom in Buenos Aires, he’s in Clark Kent mode: polite and unassuming, with a gentle smile. But put a PlayStation controller in his hand and load up a game of EA SPORTS FIFA to see a man transformed: nicolas99fc steps up, striking fear into the hearts of his opponents – not to mention goals into their nets.
The 23-year-old professional EA SPORTS FIFA player won last year’s eChampions League tournament representing David Beckham’s Guild Esports. As well as getting to lift the trophy in Stockholm, the Argentine earned almost €70,000 in winnings. As Villalba prepared to defend his title, we caught up with him to learn more about his triumph, his World Cup celebrations and his tactics.
After losing the first match of the final 3-1 on aggregate to Matias Bonanno, you came back from a 2-0 defeat in the first leg of the second to win 7-2 on aggregate. How did you pull off that spectacular comeback?
I always try to read Matias’s games because he’s amazing. Also, I was trying to be focused after losing the first two legs. I talked with my coach about what I should do and he said against players like Matias, you don’t have to play with any specific formations or tactics, you have to play with your talent and your heart. Then I started to score one, two, three, four – and, eventually, seven.
I was in my bedroom and my family were in the living room – it was my superstition. Us Argentinians, we believe a lot in superstitions. I screamed a lot after the last penalty and then I cried for ten minutes. Then, when Messi lifted the trophy, I started to cry again!
In football he’s amazing. But I think in the game, right now, he can’t beat me. He’s special so if he practised for one year, maybe he could be really, really good. But, for now, I am better than Messi.
I really like 4-4-2. I just try to play it simple. I want to attack with one midfielder and one staying back, but playing with both staying back is really good for me; I don’t know why, but it has helped me a lot. And I know the exact moment to change things. Maybe the game is really close, then you change the formation and you’re winning easily.
I analyse my games with my coach but I also try new formations. Maybe I already know 4-4-2 works against you so I try to play another formation, to see how to adapt. I do that a lot. If you win or lose, that’s OK. But try new things.
No, I don’t think it’s extra pressure. But I’ve got a motivation, because I am defending the title. That is really good, because we are all playing to be the champion but I want to defend my trophy. I would play right now if I could!
Hundreds have competed in online qualifiers to reach the group stage; from there, 64 will become 32 as the best advance to the knockouts. Both the group and knockout stage will take place at the Here East theatre in Stratford, London, before attention switches to Istanbul. There a double elimination bracket will decide the final eight, who will compete for the trophy and a prize pool of €260,000.
