Team Vitality and Paris Saint-Germain have continued their collaboration for another year, forming PSG.Vitality in EA FC 27.
For the first time, the organisations are fielding non-French FC/FIFA pros after the signings of Dutchman Levi de Weerd and Italian Lucio ‘HHezerS’ Vecchione.
Insider Gaming spoke with the CEO of Team Vitality, Fabien ‘Neo’ Devide and Nadia Benmokhtar, Diversification Director & CRO Chief of Staff at Paris Saint-Germain.
While the pair didn’t comment on expansion outside of EA FC or PSG returning to esports markets in Asia, they did speak about PSG.Vitality’s ambitions.
Why are PSG and Vitality increasing investment in EA FC now with higher-profile players? What is the value of FC to PSG.Vitality?
Nadia: Our first season had one key objective: to lay the foundations for a strong and lasting partnership between Paris Saint-Germain and Team Vitality, built around a shared ambition for sporting success.
This first year has reinforced our belief in the partnership. We enjoyed a very promising inaugural season, finishing second in the eLigue 1 regular season, as well as competing in the FC Pro World Championship at the Esports World Cup.
These early results, combined with the strength and credibility of our partnership, have enabled us to take the next step in our recruitment strategy, attracting two top-tier players from the international competitive scene.
Today, our ambition is clear: to establish PSG.Vitality as a global powerhouse in EA SPORTS FC and showcase Paris Saint-Germain on every competitive stage.
Neo: EA FC holds a unique position for Team Vitality, with a history of winning, notably with RocKy, our FIFA 17 FUT Champion.
EA FC, for us, has been about connecting our esports ecosystem with one of the world’s most passionate communities: football fans.
That makes it an exciting space for us to develop our competitive ambitions and bring together audiences who share a passion for football, whether on a real or virtual pitch.Â
Our collaboration with PSG has given us the opportunity to do just that, and after a promising first season, we’re looking to build on that progress. The arrival of Levi and HHezerS is the next big step in that journey.
Both bring impressive competitive records and valuable international experience, so we’re looking forward to seeing what they can achieve for the new season.
Why is now the time to introduce international players to the roster?
Nadia: Our partnership is rooted in a shared attachment to our Parisian heritage, but also in a common international ambition.
Both founded in Paris and the surrounding region, Paris Saint-Germain and Team Vitality have established themselves as leading names in their respective fields, driven by the same culture of high performance and determination to compete for titles at the highest level.
We are now looking to take our sporting ambitions to the next level. We considered several players, both French and international, with one clear priority: to recruit the talents best equipped to help us achieve our goals.
Levi de Weerd, a three-time Dutch champion, and Lucio “HHezerS” Vecchione, an Italian champion and 2024 European champion, perfectly embody this ambition. Both are experienced players who have already proven their ability to compete at the highest level, with complementary profiles and strengths.
Neo: It’s clear that we have global ambitions, and that means looking at talent from a wider perspective. For us, international recruitment is a natural part of competing at the highest level and strengthening Team Vitality’s position on the global esports stage.Â
Levi and HHezerS have each established themselves in their respective regions, bringing winning experience at National and European levels. They bring their own strengths, Levi perhaps having a more controlled game style, and HHezerS more direct and fast-paced.
These different approaches will complement one another within the team, and ultimately, building a successful roster is about finding the right combination of talent, experience and mentality.
It’s been one year since Vitality and PSG collaborated; what has the partnership accomplished for both sides so far?
Nadia: The initial results have been very positive. From a competitive standpoint, we have laid solid foundations, achieved encouraging results and demonstrated our ability to compete at a high level from our very first season.
But beyond the results, what I find particularly valuable is the quality of the collaboration we have built on a daily basis.
Paris Saint-Germain and Team Vitality come from two different worlds, but share the same commitment to excellence and competitive mindset.
We have successfully combined our expertise, shared our respective approaches and created an environment that allows our players to perform at their best.
One year on, we are more convinced than ever of the potential of this collaboration and determined to keep building on the progress we have made.
Neo: For Team Vitality, partnering with Paris Saint-Germain is an opportunity to bring esports closer to one of the biggest names in world sport.
PSG has a reach and a place in popular culture that extends far beyond football, and connecting with that audience through a shared project has been a real highlight so far.
We’ve also seen the partnership come to life beyond competition, working closely with PSG on fan activations, co-creating a dedicated PSG.Vitality jersey and developing a lifestyle collection that represents both brands.
It’s been important for us that the partnership is something fans can engage with in different ways.
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What are the hopes and aspirations for this partnership moving forward?
Nadia: We are committed to building an ambitious, long-term project that will continue to grow over time.
Our priority remains EA SPORTS FC, with the goal of establishing PSG.Vitality among the world’s top teams and competing for major titles.
But our partnership goes beyond competition. It is also about bringing together two passionate communities, football and esports fans, and creating new experiences around their shared passion.
In particular, we want to explore new ways to bring the PSG.Vitality identity to life through exciting new activations and experiences for our fans.
Neo: For us, it’s about nurturing the strong relationship we’ve built with PSG and continuing to develop this over the long term.
We have a lot of respect for what PSG represents in the world of sport, and we see real value in what we can achieve together through esports.
Ultimately, we want PSG.Vitality to become a name that reaches far beyond the EA FC scene. We want to be a team that people recognise, and that fans are genuinely excited to follow.
Are there plans in place to connect with local fans in Paris?
Nadia: Absolutely. Paris holds a special place in our project: not only is it the city where both our organisations were born, but it is also a major hub for the international esports scene.
The Esports World Cup, which we hosted last year, was a major highlight for gaming fans around the world and for our PSG.Vitality team, which qualified for the competition. It gave us a fantastic opportunity to connect with our fans and share their passion for a game as special as EA SPORTS FC.
We are eager to create more of these shared experiences with our supporters whenever possible, bringing our respective communities together and celebrating the passion that unites us.
Neo: It’s about making PSG.Vitality a team that fans can connect with and feel part of.
The partnership brings together two legendary Parisian names, and we want to make the most of that by building an identity that resonates with both communities, starting at home in Paris.
From the beautiful jersey worn by our players to the exclusive collections and fan activations planned for this season, there will be different ways to bring the partnership to life beyond competition.
So far in PSG’s 10 years in esports, what has been most valuable to the club?
Nadia: Paris Saint-Germain was the first major football club to invest in esports, back in 2016.
Even then, we were convinced that esports represented a tremendous opportunity to extend our sporting universe, reach new audiences and connect with a generation of fans whose passions go far beyond traditional football.
Our involvement in esports has enabled us to engage with new communities, particularly internationally, while bringing Paris Saint-Germain’s commitment to sporting excellence to new competitive arenas, winning titles across several games.
Esports perfectly embodies our ambition to be the Club of the New Generation: a club rooted in football, but whose identity, culture and global influence extend far beyond the pitch.
Today, alongside Team Vitality, we are continuing this journey with the same conviction that drove us from the very beginning, but now backed by ten years of experience and even greater sporting ambitions.
What’s your favourite collaboration between an esports org and a traditional sports team? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord.
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An esports journalist for nine years with a focus on LoL Jack has written for national newspapers, interviewed major names, and driven people mad with puns. He's most proud of…
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