Sports clubs are investing in esports the same way as their traditional athletes

"Three in a row is crazy," Bonanno said. "It’s the same feeling as the first time for me, because always in these three seasons, we had to win for the spots in Champions League and more championships."

The intersection of traditional sports and esports isn’t new. The NBA and its game NBA 2K have the 2K League, which has scaled back over the years; Madden remains an esports staple, and EA’s College Football series also has its own version of rivalry games through the Rally Cry Championship Tour.

The difference between these games and more conventional esports titles, such as League of Legends, Valorant, or Counter-Strike, is that the viewing experience is more accessible to casual fans.

Understand the mechanics of football? You can watch an EA FC match or a Madden game.

"It’s not like League of Legends or Counter-Strike, a game that you need to watch a lot to understand it," Vasconcelos said. "It’s football."

The viewing experience is easy. The perception, though, remains: It’s just guys playing video games.

More Than a Game

The perception problem surrounding esports is simple -- it’s just people playing video games, and anyone can do it.

Critics will concede there are skills needed, but insist it’s nothing physical and doesn’t require anyone to be in the finest shape.

But that’s not entirely true.

Yes, there isn’t a ton of running or physical contact. Back problems, hand and wrist issues, and fatigue are the real physical pain points.

Combined with the mental grind of playing at a high level for hours, it presents a different challenge than what traditional athletes face.

"It’s also important to be in shape physically so you don’t have worse consequences in the future," Vasconcelos said. "It’s also good for your mental health to exercise and to be physically well."

The biggest challenge for many competitors is how “tilt-proof” they can be -- how well they manage frustration and momentum swings. That ability to stay level through the ups and downs of a match contributes directly to the mental drain of competing at a high level.

Mental strength is what separates a great player from an elite one.

"Inside the matches, sometimes you have difficulties, and some players can manage that, and some players cannot," Bonanno said. "And that was one of the differences in some tournaments, in terms of whether you can be a top player or not, because of the mentality."

Vasconcelos has struggled with keeping his emotions in check.

This is what he appreciates about Manchester City. The club has provided him with resources -- including a sports psychologist -- to help manage the mental demands of competition.

"Here at City, our psychologist has been helping us a lot to compete mentally," Vasconcelos said. "Mentally, it’s hard. Not to deal with the pressure, but to understand how you can manage your emotions."

Manchester City’s dedication to its athletes -- both traditional and esports -- is what makes it, and clubs like it, a destination for top EA FC players.

"City supports me a lot with coaches, with psychologists, with everything they can," Bonanno said. "The only word I can say is thank you."

Europe’s Edge

Europe dominates the EA FC scene.

Of the players qualified for the EA FC World Championships, 16 are from Europe, with four each from North Africa and South America.

Some of it may be due to the strong football culture in those regions.

"It’s connected with real football, and I think the best countries are the best countries in the game too," Bonanno said. "Netherlands, Portugal, Argentina, Denmark. All those countries are really good in real life, too."

The eMLS exists in North America, but it lacks the same cachet as the international markets. The players who qualified for the EA FC World Championships through the eMLS are not from North America and will not represent their MLS club in Riyadh.

"In our case, the league that we played -- the Premier League -- all the clubs were connected with the league," Vasconcelos said. "But I think maybe in other leagues it’s not the same professionalism."

Both Bonanno and Vasconcelos see potential for the scene's growth in the coming years.

"EA is doing a good job with the leagues, but I think that can be even bigger," Vasconcelos said. "If EA keeps investing in the leagues and also working with the club, I think it will be better."

Paul Delos Santos covers esports for The Sporting Tribune. He is also the founder of Inside Esports, a newsletter covering the Fighting Game Community and Riot Games ecosystem. Subscribe at insideesports.media.