Manchester City’s Shaun "Shellzz" Springette still has fond memories of his ePremier League title win back in 2020/21.
"It was a great feeling, I still remember it to this day," said Shellzz, who beat Leeds United's Olle "Ollelito" Arbin in a dramatic ePL final, sealing victory in a penalty shootout following a 6-6 draw.
"Winning the trophy broke my curse. I felt like I could never do it, couldn’t go all the way.
"I always believed I had the talent to win tournaments, but there have been a lot of heartbreaking losses in my career. Winning it gave me the confidence that I can do it again."
The 2022/23 ePL season begins in November, with online qualifiers building towards the club playoffs to determine which UK-based EA SPORTS FIFA 23 players will be selected to play at the ePL Finals in March 2023.
Register at e.premierleague.com
“As a UK pro, and as a player for Manchester City, it’s the competition that means the most to me,” Shellzz said. “Winning it two seasons ago was probably the best trophy I could have won – and for Man City as well.”
The 23-year-old played his first competitive EA SPORTS FIFA tournament in 2017 and signed with City a year later, reaching the ePL quarter-finals in 2019/20 before his emerging victorious the following season.
And while he now boasts a wealth of experience in the world of professional esports, he admits there are some advantages to being new to the competitive scene.
“The 2017 Shellzz had a no-fear mentality – I was just a kid trying to have fun, I didn’t play with any nerves. Shellzz now has experienced it all: the heartbreaking losses, the crazy comebacks, the trophy. I don’t know who would win!
"The biggest thing is experience, but that raw kid mentality, you need that in FIFA. As much as our job is a game, we want to win trophies and be the best. Managing nerves is the No.1 thing."
'Just believe in yourself'
Thousands of entrants will be vying for one of the 40 places at next year’s ePL finals, where each Premier League club will be represented by a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X specialist.
For first-time entrants, Shellzz’s advice is: “Just believe in yourself and go for it. I didn’t think I could be a FIFA pro – going home after school and playing, I didn’t think I could turn it into a career.
"If you look at the Brentford boys last year, they were newcomers on the scene – especially Sam Brewster, I don’t think many people had heard of him – and those guys made it to the final."
That belief is also the key for those looking to follow in Shellzz’s footsteps and forge a career in esports.
“Tips I have for people going pro? Believe in yourself, adapt to the game, watch other pros, and try to take it easy. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, but also put the time in and I’m sure the results will come.”