Bundesliga: VfL Wolfsburg recruit a professional eSports player (FIFA franchise)

VfL Wolfsburg (Bundesliga) have recruited David Bytheway (22 years old), a British professional eSports player, specialising in the FIFA football video game (published by EA Sports), announced the club on 19/01/2016.

The Briton will represent the club and will play exclusively with the VfL Wolfsburg team at international gaming tournaments. He will also provide video streams of his training, and participate in special events organised by the club. He joins Benedikt Saltzer (24 years old), another professional FIFA player recruited by VfL Wolfsburg in October 2015. The players are contracted to wear the shirt of the club, owned by the Volkswagen Group, during gaming competitions.

"We recognise eSports as being important and want to be a leader amongst Bundesliga clubs in this area. Our goal is to create a binding connection between real football and the digital version. FIFA is becoming more and more realistic from year to year and it enjoys great resonance amongst the professional players and fans alike," said Klaus Allofs, sporting director of the German club.

• David Bytheway…