PlayStation, Manchester United and why video games can be players' secret weapon

The dominant Manchester United dynasty of the 2000s can attribute their success to several factors. Most relevantly, they had world-class players such as Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rio Ferdinand, who were coached by Sir Alex Ferguson, arguably the greatest manager in English football history.

There was also Old Trafford, the largest club stadium in English football and a ground where Jamie Carragher wrote Telegraphsaid it could “freeze a lot of players.” Maybe they even got the odd favorable decision from the officials.

But there is one thing United players insist is an underrated secret ingredient: video games.

“We used to play a game at Man United on the PSP (PlayStation Portable) called SOCOM – an old-fashioned Call of Duty. We used to spend hours playing this game,” former United and England goalkeeper Ben Foster said of his Fozcast podcast.

“I actually still say that part of us wins and our culture is because of that game. We were all in it together, hating each other sometimes and fighting, people throwing PSPs, it was incredible.”

SOCOM (or SOCOM US Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo, to use its full name) was a huge hit at United's Carrington training ground and on away and pre-season tours, especially within the club's younger core.

The “third-person tactical shooter” video game franchise has sold more than 10 million copies across eight releases. There were eight players in two teams – sometimes United players had to wait their turn as places were often oversubscribed – and the regulars, including Foster, Ferdinand (nicknamed 'Brrrap'), Rooney (aka Jack Bauer, after the fictional protagonist of the 24 television series) and Ronaldo, would hold team talks before the match, with each player assigned a role.

Former United players appreciate playing SOCOM on PSP for their strong team bond (David Becker/Getty Images)

“People were probably wondering what was going on when they saw Vida (Nemanja Vidic) and Sheasy (John O'Shea, or 'Cobra') pulling out imaginary rocket launchers after scoring goals in key Champions League games . but it was just our joke, our way of laughing about the things we had done together,” said Wes Brown, who was part of United's Champions League-winning team in 2008. on the club website.

“We even took it to England (international service) and all the Chelsea boys would play it. We used to play United against Chelsea at SOCOM and come on, who do you think won? Let's put it this way: many Chelsea PSPs broke down from frustration.”

Since United's golden era of success under Ferguson, the video game industry has exploded, and its place in the football world reflects that.

Gone are the days when SOCOM was the game of choice at the elite level; EA Sports FC (formerly known as FIFA) and Call of Duty are now the leading titles in football's most popular pastime.

Given the shared nature of the video game and the sport (and that they can play with themselves and their teammates), EA FC obviously has a significant market share among footballers. During the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, EA Sports hosted the 'Stay and Play Cup' on FIFA, involving players from clubs across Europe, including Manchester City's Phil Foden, Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinicius Junior and Paris Saint- Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi, at the time on loan to Borussia Dortmund.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, another participant in the tournament, which was won by Danish international Mohamed Daramy, remains a keen player. In April he put together a 'Pro Clubs' team to take on a team of YouTubers and streamers (including occasionally Rooney before he was appointed Plymouth Argyle boss in May) – with videos of their game seen more than was viewed 1.3 million times on two YouTube channels. This summer, members of Spain's Euro-winning squad, including close friends Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, formed a Pro Clubs team to pass the time during their month-long odyssey to glory.

For football players, video games are an ideal addition to their stressful lifestyle.

Alexander-Arnold is a fan of EA Sports FC (Carl Recine/Getty Images)

“Gaming is part of youth culture,” says Benjamin Reichert, a former professional football player in Germany and founder of esports team SK Gaming. “Football players and professional athletes reach that level because they want to win. They want to compete every day. In the past, when we weren't gaming, we did other things. We played cards, we played table tennis – it's about being the best, competing against each other and having fun.”

By the way, it's not just the young players. Guadalajara striker Javier Hernandez, 36, formerly of Manchester United and Real Madrid, has an account with almost a million followers on livestreaming platform Twitch. He mainly records himself playing Call of Duty, but also dabbles in other titles including Resident Evil Village or Five Nights at Freddy's 4.

Other notable stars with streaming accounts include Neymar, 32, and retired Argentine striker Sergio Aguero, 36, who has 4.8 million followers on Twitch.

“In the biggest sports there is so much pressure,” says Reichert. “You have to compete every day or show the best version of yourself to be in the starting line-up at the weekend. If they have something to go to by playing with friends or online, they can just have fun.

“It's interesting when you see players streaming or in interviews; you feel that they are relaxed and free to speak or answer questions they would otherwise never have asked. It's a different atmosphere, and I think it's very important for them.”

Reichert, who played as a professional at the German second and third levels during an eleven-year career, is considered a pioneer in the world of sports gaming. In 1997, Reichert founded an esports team with other professional players and his brothers, more than a decade before esports became a major part of the video game industry. He is best known for co-founding (along with former Bundesliga midfielder Moritz Stoppelkamp) INDIGAMING, developers of the POGA 'console in a box' that is quickly becoming the travel essentials for top footballers.

If you've been watching England's 'arrivals' videos on YouTube or following some of the game's biggest stars on Instagram, you may not be aware that you've seen someone driving around with a POGA suitcase. It is a case or case with a built-in console and monitor that allows players to game on the go.

Conor Gallagher🤝 @EASPORTSFC

View the #ThreeLions arrivals here 👇

— England (@England) November 12, 2024

Reichart says: “We were big gamers for years, so it was necessary to have a tool to be able to play wherever we were. As a player you are always on the run. Away games, travel, pre-season, whatever, and it was almost impossible to install in the hotel for example, because the HDMI port might have been disconnected due to the entertainment in the hotel.

“Then Moritz, Ingo (Bohm, INDIGAMING's head of commercial operations) and I came together and created a prototype. We rolled it out through our friends and network with the footballers here in Germany. It then moved from Germany to Britain and through the major leagues across Europe.”

Reichert (right) helped create the POGA system (Bongarts/Getty Images)

Raheem Sterling was one of the first high-profile players to accidentally promote POGA via his Instagram, leading to him and his friend playing FIFA on the train in 2018. Since then, the system has taken off within elite football.

Over the past year, Yamal, Mohamed Salah and England and Arsenal players Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice have been pictured gaming on the system. Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford and Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez are excited about it.

The POGA system typically includes a built-in console (a PlayStation or Xbox) and a gaming monitor. They're expensive – prices start at £824; or £1,274 with a PlayStation console (or $1,047 and $1,619 in the United States) – and are unlikely to become the norm for the average person. Alternatives also exist from companies like GeeGee Gaming, but POGA's place within the football world is firmly established.

That's not to say that football clubs are fully aware of the growing influence that video games play in the lives of their players.

Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti has raised concerns about players playing video games. In February he suggested that a player had stayed up all night playing games and had not slept. “That's not okay,” he said at a press conference. “It's not the two hours we are on the field that shows who we are, but the 22 hours on either side.”

Spalletti did not name any players, but he dropped Gianluca Scamacca – described by local newspaper Corriere Bergamo as a “PlayStation fanatic” – from his squad for the friendlies against Venezuela and Ecuador in March.

While Jadon Sancho played for Borussia Dortmund, a German media outlet Image reported concerns within the club over an alleged habit of spending too much time on his console and similar accusations were leveled at French winger Ousmane Dembele during his time at Barcelona.

Despite the odd moments when players get carried away, clubs and national teams are recognizing the role video games can play in success. Before the POGA boom allowed players to take their devices with them, the English FA set up a console room for the 2018 World Cup. The Fortnite competitions were among the many aspects that improved England's team spirit, helping them reach their first World Cup semi-final achieved in 28 years.

If it really contributed to the winning culture developed under Ferguson at United, cautious coaches and front offices may be missing an opportunity: Getting your players to play video games could be an underrated formula for success.

(Top Photos: Getty Images)