Cihan Yasarlar is a talented cyber athlete who hails from Berlin, Germany. He practices and competes at FIFA Esports tournaments on behalf of top German football team, RB Leipzig. Cihan is the only German esports player who won two leagues, the ESL Spring Championship FIFA and Virtual Bundesliga 2017.
Cihan was a favourite among esports fans at the FIFA Interactive World Cup. He explains, “You have more responsibility, people expect something from you, so I train more of course, and if the success comes, the rest comes by itself.”
Just like a real footballer, the pro player, Yasarlar is supported with a manager, coach and physiotherapist to make sure that he is fit and motivated to play better in the virtual world of FIFA Esports.
Yasarlar’s favourite football players are Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane. He prefers to side with the football club, Besiktas Istanbul in international tournaments. Aside from playing FIFA, he dedicates time to go to the gym for a workout to prevent injuries that affect the neck and shoulders as well as spend time with his family, giving him a break from virtual gaming world.
Where it all began:
Cihan began playing football at a young age, instilling in him a sense of competition and game strategy and always a step ahead. Yasarlar stumbled across FIFA, a video game based on soccer, another alternative of playing sport. Since he had an understanding of how the game is played, the transition was easier.
Yasarlar attended the International Funkausstellung where his football skills were discovered by top esports team SK Gaming. He started his gaming career with SK in 2015 and has never stopped playing FIFA.
The Team:
RB Leipzig is a German football association that was established in 2009. The club supports 12 male teams and three female units. RB Leipzig’s mission is to achieve great results and celebrate all that is Football and FIFA among their avid fans. RB Leipzig saw the gaming potential of FIFA and now support a pro gamer, Cihan Yasarlar to compete on their behalf at FIFA tournaments.
Cihan Yasarlar said “I’m really looking forward to playing for the Champions League club RB Leipzig FIFA. I love the offensive way of playing and I also recognize my strengths in it. I will continue to train hard and use the professional environment of the club to bring national and international eSports titles to Leipzig.”
Competition Participation and Winnings:
The highest earnings for Cihan was at the FIFA Ultimate Team Championship 2017 Season 1 on Playstation 4. Yasarlar reached the grand finals, winning the match with a first prize of $20K.
Yasarlar’s second great achievement was the TAG Heuer Virtuelle Bundesliga 2016/2017 Finals. Cihan faced off Niklas Raseck with an unbeatable score 4-2, taking the first prize. He took home the prize of $16K as well as a Tag Heuer watch.
Other FIFA tournaments that Yasarlar participated include ESL Frühlingsmeisterschaft and ESL Sommermeisterschaft 2017, showing the esports scene his smart moves on how football should be played.
