Regina FIFA gamer moving up the ranks
Plays pro for the Vancouver Whitecaps on the electronic league pitch
Regina's Alex Gonzalez-aldana has reached new heights in the world of pro gaming.
The 19-year-old won the FIFA 21 Global Series North American Qualifier 1 on Jan 10. The win netted him $5,000 in prize money, but Gonzalez is more focused on what it means for his career.
Gonzalez-aldana, who goes by the gaming handle Extraa, plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the Electronic Arts soccer video game FIFA 21. The qualifier was held entirely online, and Gonzalez-aldana competed from his home in Regina.
He said winning it is his biggest achievement yet in playing FIFA professionally.
“I mean the money was OK, but that's honestly for me all the way in the back of my head. For me it was mostly about being so close to winning tournaments here and there, but to finally get through all the way and win one was pretty cool,” said Gonzalez-aldana during an interview on Thursday.
There are five qualifiers held throughout the season, which will eventually lead to the North American regional playoffs, and after that the 2021 FIFAE World Cup. By winning the first qualifier, Gonzalez-aldana said he's put himself in a good position to make it into the regional playoffs.
By placing well in the qualifiers, players earn points to gain entry to the playoffs, where 16 competitors will face off.
“So for me it was mostly about securing myself in the playoffs because that's the event that I really want to do well at,” said Gonzalez-aldana
Gonzalez-aldana's matches were part of a live broadcast on the website Twitch.tv, which garnered more than 227,000 views.
Tyler Wilson, Whitecaps FC esports team general manager, said Gonzalez-aldana “shredded” his opponents during the qualifier. The performance caught the attention of the club's ownership and management.
“We signed Alex for a reason right? He's the best Xbox FIFA player on the planet, we think. I totally expected him to win that,” said Wilson, who is originally from Regina.
Wilson has confidence that Gonzalez-aldana will continue to outshine the competition as the season continues.
“Alex is going to do more big things this year. He's got a lot of promise ahead. We're very happy to have him on board,” said Wilson.
The next North American qualifier is set to take place on Feb. 6 and 7.
Born in Seattle, Gonzalez-aldana grew up in Guadalajara, Mexico and also lived in Vancouver before his family came to Regina. He began competing seriously in FIFA in 2018.