The FIFA national team is also playing for access to the World Cup

On Twitch they call him "the Master". Nello Nigro, 34, is one of the most important faces in Italian export, an increasingly expanding sector in our country. Coach of the Italian FIFA national team, his live shows on Twitch where he plays the famous football videogame are followed by thousands of people. His passion for export has effectively become a job and today, while the players of the Italian national team are preparing to take the field to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, Nello trains his players in view of eNations, the world championship of Fifa organized by EA and Fifa "in flesh and blood" (it is played two on two and Russia was excluded following the war in Ukraine), which Italy aims to qualify within the next month.

How did your export path start?

“I have always played video games since I was little. At 29, I was a programmer for Apple. I was not satisfied with my condition and I gave up everything to devote myself to streaming and egame. It was 2017. I didn't earn anything from Twitch at first. Then the phenomenon started to grow and my notoriety with him ”.

Today is it possible to live only on esports?

“Of course: until a few years ago it seemed only a dream, but today the possibilities are there. The sport teams, the teams that support the players, are multiplying and the turnover is starting to allow you to think big. There is now talk of professionals paid by companies to compete in official tournaments. Just like in any other sport. ”

What are the most important competitions?

“Surely at the international level eNations (where we have a good chance of qualifying) while in Italy we have the eSerie A in which every“ real ”club has“ contracted ”its team to a sport team. In addition to the national team, I myself coach Cagliari for example ".

Isn't 34 years old too young to hang the joystick on a nail?

“Actually, no. In this sport, the "retirement" age is already reached at thirty. So for three and a half years I started my coaching career. Among other things, I think I'm better as a coach than as a player ".

How does a training session work?

“Training must be distinguished between coaching young players and experienced players. In the first case, you follow the players during the games and point them out to various mechanical errors. It is a fairly invasive type of training. In addition there is also a psychologist. In the case of more experienced players, they always watch their games together and discuss what the problem may have been and how to improve ".

At this point someone might tell you that there is no physical activity so it is not a real sport.

“False. Sports qualities are also needed in sports. I think of reactivity, the ability to stay cool in high-tension situations. The Fgci has decided to associate itself with this reality precisely because it has understood that the underlying values ​​are those of physical football ".

What is Italy's level in this export?

"At first we were late. As often happens to us, we Italians were closed to innovation, but now we have recovered. At the moment in the European ranking twelve players out of thirty are Italian. It's a good result, but some countries stay ahead. ”

For example?

“On the sporting side, the strongest nations are France, Germany, Spain and Sweden. While as regards the involvement of the public, in Japan export fills the stadiums ".

Will we ever reach these levels in Italy?

“From a sporting point of view, I believe that real football will always remain more popular than virtual football. But entertainment is more complex: for some time television has seen a hemorrhage of users while live shows on Twitch increase their numbers. Some popular faces such as the former footballer Bobo Vieri and the Gialappa's Band have smelled the trend and landed on this social network. Twitch’s growth can only be good news for exports. But there is a difference to make ".

Which one?

“An account is the player who plays like a professional. One thing is the streamer who broadcasts his matches on Twitch while entertaining his listeners. The first is a sportsman, the second, an entertainer. Clearly you can be both, if you are good enough both to win and to involve the audience. "

Her" fans "call her" Maestro ". What advice would you give to a young person who wants to follow in his footsteps?

“To always have a way out. The fact that exports is growing also means that competition is becoming increasingly fierce. Emerging is not easy. And you need talent. Much. Without that, you can also train for years. But you can't get anywhere ".