From playing secretly to playing abroad: This Fifa gamer is relishing his ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ SEA Games shot

What sticks with him till today was the coaching he received in China.

Yeo recalled having to practise virtual penalty kicks after each training session, a weakness that his coach had identified in his gameplay.

“Every night I would have to score 10 consecutive times in each corner before I sleep. So halfway through if I missed or I just clicked (the shot power) a bit lesser or a bit more, (I would have to) restart,” he said.

“He (my coach) felt that penalty kicks can be an advantage. Because when most games get very cagey, it normally goes to penalty kicks. And he just wanted to prepare me for it.”

There would be no sleep for Yeo until he netted 40 penalties, 10 in each corner of the goal.

But he appreciated the guidance, as this was the first time he had a coach.

“(A coach) helps with in-game gameplay … If I’m playing the game myself, then there’s only one cursor and I’m focusing on where I’m passing the ball. So a lot of times, I’ll be very ‘tunnelled’ in my vision on what I’m doing,” Yeo explained. 

“We could sit down and watch replays and (he could) let me know how I could do better, what opportunity did I miss, how can I pass better, how can I defend better.”

A coach also doubles up as an analyst to help a player study the opponents, Yeo noted.

“When I had the coach, it was very helpful to analyse for me which formations are better,” he said.

“He would explain to me why which players are better … for example – (Angel) Di Maria – he’s a left-footer, because in (the) game he has a ‘five star’ left foot and a ‘two star’ right foot.”

Yeo’s big moment came in April 2018, where he, Amraan and China’s Fifa Esports player of the year Li Si Jun combined to win the East Asian Champions Cup Spring, the biggest international tournament for the game.

Representing Singapore e-sports side Team Flash, the trio beat home side Thailand 3-0 in the final, claiming US$108,000 (S$142,000) in prize money. This was the best finish for a Singaporean team in the event.

“I wouldn’t say I was surprised, but I wouldn’t say that I expected our team to win for sure. I think coming to the tournament, I felt we had an equal shot but it was hard,” said Yeo.

“I felt that if I really didn’t win, then I would have regretted my decision to play (full-time). Because at the end of it, what’s worse is if I play for so many years and nothing comes out of it.”

‘AN HONOUR’ TO REPRESENT SINGAPORE

Yeo, now a team manager for Team Flash, is no longer a professional gamer.

However, he was selected to be part of Singapore’s four-man Mixed Fifa Online 4 SEA Games team along with Amraan, Ahmad Sufian Rahamad and Muhammad Syakir Abdul Rauf.