Express & Star

Brazilian Flavio Brito signs for Wolves... to play video games

Wolves are not only keen to become known across the globe due to on-pitch success – they want to conquer the video game world too.

Published

So much so, they have signed someone from another continent to represent them in eSports.

Brazilian teenager Flavio Brito was snapped up by Wolves back in October, to play super-popular franchise Fifa competitively.

In the top 32 players on the planet at the game, on the PS4 console, he recently flew the old gold flag at the Fifa Ultimate Team Champions Cup.

Held in Bucharest, it was the first of a series of ‘majors’ throughout the year.

And Brito, after acquiring his first passport to leave Sao Paolo, had three of his five games streamed live on Fifa-makers EA’s twitch page to 60,000 concurrent viewers – showing just how popular eSports is, and why Wolves have decided to give it a go.

The 18-year-old did not qualify for the final 16 but was treated to his first visit to Molineux as Wolves shocked Chelsea 2-1 last Wednesday.

He speaks good English too and said: “It’s a pleasure to be with Wolves. I want to grow with Wolves, do my best to make people proud. We can be big in the Premier League, and in video games, we can be big.”

Brito was then able to meet Wolves striker and fellow Brazilian, Leo Bonatini.

He is now preparing for the FIFA eClub World Cup qualifiers in January.

“It’s a huge thing for me, a big experience that can be huge in my whole life,” added Brito.

“Wolves are helping me to have better concentration.

“They are managing me to be a better player, always.”

Brito is not the only eSports player Wolves have on their books though. They made Torin Page, a 21-year-old from South London who has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, their first signing in September. Page will be representing Wolves in the ePremier League.

While the venture may not make a lot of sense to some people, Wolves are just one of dozens of clubs across the continent who have eSports representation.

Dave Bytheway, from Wolverhampton, was the first British player to be signed by a club when he joined German side Wolfsburg in 2016. He is no longer playing Fifa professionally, but amassed thousands of pounds through tournaments.