Melbourne Victory is pleased to announce the recruitment process for its two competitors in the inaugural E-League season is now complete.
Current Victory winger Mitch Austin was drafted as the club’s Xbox representative on Thursday night, making him one of only a handful of professional footballers on earth to simultaneously compete as a gamer also.
“The E-League is perfect timing for me as I’m still recovering from my knee injury, so this is a welcome distraction and something I’m really excited about,” said Austin.
“It’s commonly known that FIFA is a major passion of mine, so to be able to compete for Melbourne Victory in the first E-League season is amazing and I can’t wait.”
Austin will be joined by unheralded FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) whiz, and competition wildcard, Mouad Zwed, who will represent Victory in the Playstation 4 (PS4) category after agreeing to e-terms with the club earlier in the week.
Zwed, known in the gaming world as ‘MuadZwed’, and Austin, gamer handle ALCATRAZZ_2025, will form an unlikely partnership for Melbourne Victory as it strives for E-League glory, with both men currently undergoing rehabilitation for ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments.
However Zwed’s story is a fascinating one and extends far beyond just gaming. The 25-year-old is currently on the books at National Premier League outfit Kingston City, while he also represented Canberra’s Tuggeranong United against Melbourne Victory in the 2014 FFA Cup – all since fleeing war-torn Libya in 2008.
“Melbourne Victory has shown great faith in me, they could’ve taken the easy option and picked someone based purely on rankings, but that person probably spends 16 hours a day in a dark room playing nothing but video games – I’ve got far more to offer than that and I’m going to represent the club in the best possible manner,” said Zwed.
“There are some big names from the gamer world who have already been signed for this competition, and none of them would’ve expected to see my name pop up – that would’ve rattled a few I reckon!”
“I like to operate in the background, I’m not into rankings and all that other stuff – all I want to do is win – and I’ve beaten a few of the so-called ‘stars’ of this new E-League and I can guarantee that I’ll be far happier to see them on match day, than they will be to see me.”
The E-League kicks off on February 15 and runs for the last nine rounds of the 2017/18 Hyundai A-League season, before a Finals Series will determine an overall Champion.
