Former MLS star trades his boots in for a controller

(CNN) — Former pro soccer player Tosaint Ricketts made a living scoring goals in leagues such as MLS, but now the 37-year-old has turned his attention to the world of competitive gaming.

The ex-Vancouver Whitecaps striker and Canada international recently became the first former MLS star to compete in the eMLS – an online gaming league based around the EA SPORTS FC franchise.

The eMLS, which now sees 22 clubs participate, has grown since its conception in 2018 and now aims to raise the league’s profile with a new generation of fans.

Ricketts said he was surprised by the standard of players in the competition, admitting he got “destroyed” when facing some of the professional gamers.

“These gamers are the real deal. They put in the hours, they put in the work, they understand the game, they understand the meta of it and how to get the best out of the game itself,” Ricketts told CNN Sport’s Don Riddell back in August.

“Their level is much higher than I ever expected.”

Ricketts enjoyed an eclectic career, playing in countries such as Finland, Turkey, Lithuania and Norway before wrapping up his playing days in MLS with the Whitecaps.

He also played 61 times for Canada, scoring 17 goals for his national team.

His introduction into the world of EA SPORTS FC – formerly known as FIFA – was equally as unusual. Speaking to CNN, he said he only started getting interested in the video game when he was able to play as himself.

After retiring, though, he became interested in the business of esports, and in 2023, he signed as a Vancouver Whitecaps esports player.

He now sees plenty of crossover opportunities for soccer and the world of online gaming.

“The opportunities for engagement are limitless. I would say 90% of athletes play video games. I could say that confidently […] it’s kind of an escape for them,” Ricketts added.

“There is no question that a professional athlete could cross over and be successful in the virtual world.”

Plenty of current and former players have become part of the esports scene in recent years. Cristiano Ronaldo was at the launch of the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia this year, and former Argentina striker Sergio Agüero has set up his own esports organization.

For Ricketts, though, this is just the start.

“Imagine [Lionel] Messi, imagine he played EA Sports FC 24 and he wants to connect with some fans, he could jump on a live stream. People could watch him play, people could ask him questions,” he said.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.