Pro football player Wendell Lira leaves regular sports for career in eSports
"My dream is to become FIFA world champion."
Professional football player Wendell Lira is retiring from real-life FIFA to compete in its video game adaptation.
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/assetsio.gnwcdn.com/eurogamer-qwk9mi.jpg?width=690&quality=75&format=jpg&auto=webp)
As reported by the BBC, the Brazilian striker from Goianésia is stepping down from football after winning FIFA's Puskás Award for the best goal of 2015 in a 2-1 game between Goianesia and Atletico Goianiense.
At only 27 it may seem like a strange time to retire, but Lira cited regular injuries as a partial reason to hang up his cleats.
The other reason is that he wants to pursue a career in competitive gaming, specifically FIFA.
"My dream is to become FIFA world champion," Lira told Brazlilian publication globoesporte. He plans to set up a YouTube channel demonstrating his mad virtual football skills.