"I think my focus and the mental space I put myself in when I play are what sets me apart from my peers": Offbeet Esports FIFA athlete Sagnik Banerjee

After an impressive stint with Bengaluru FC in the inaugural edition of the eISL that saw him barely miss out on entering the tournament's top four, Sagnik Banerjee will be aiming to take his FIFA career one step further by representing Offbeet Esports at the greatest stage of them all.

Sagnik has continued to improve and impress over the years, garnering a wealth of experience in competitive FIFA, and the latest part of his journey has him signing with Offbeet Esports. Being a renowned and respected player within the Indian FIFA scene, he's eager to prove his mettle in the FIFA Global Series Playoffs.

In a conversation with Sportskeeda Esports' Shivanshu Raturi, Sagnik spoke about his approach to the game, his plans for the future, as well as the mindset he believes is required to succeed at the highest level.

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Offbeet Esports' Sagnik Banerjee highlights his experiences as a professional FIFA athlete

Q. You have been a part of the competitive FIFA circuit in India for a while now. How did your esports journey begin?

Sagnik: Previously, I used to play competitively in a game called WWE 2k. I was in the top 10 in India. Honestly, I got bored of it and seeing all my friends play FIFA, I shifted to that. After a year of casually chilling with my friends playing FIFA, I saw a tournament happening in Kolkata, so I went for it and won it. That's how it all started and I have been competing professionally since then, it’s been five years.

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Q. How would you describe your style of play? What sets you apart from your peers?

Sagnik: I’ve been a big fan of 'pressing football' since the very beginning and I always try to implement that style of gameplay in my game. I think my focus and the mental space I put myself in when I play is what sets me apart from my peers.

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Q. You participated in the inaugural edition of the eISL and represented Bengaluru FC alongside your current Offbeet Esports teammate Amaan Warsi. How would you describe your experience in the competition?

Sagnik: Honestly, it was one of the best feelings to get selected for the inaugural season of the eISL. Warsi and I have been friends in the FIFA circuit since the very beginning, so he was the best partner that I could have asked for. Although we didn't make it to the top four (by a margin of just one point), we got a lot of love from our fans and got to live out an amazing dream. I will remember that experience for the rest of my life.

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Q. What are the differences in being part of a two-man squad when compared to being part of a roster like Offbeet Esports? How does it affect your approach to the game?

Sagnik: In my previous experiences with other esports organizations, I have always had only one partner. So, the Offbeet Roster is a completely new experience for me and my experience here has been great so far. It’s exciting to be a part of such a talented group.

The biggest advantage here is that every player brings in something new and valuable to the table. We all keep each other on our toes.

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Q. What is your vision for the future of your competitive FIFA journey? How does Offbeet Esports figure into your goals?

Sagnik: As long as I am playing, I want to compete at the highest level there is. Post my retirement from the game as an athlete, I have plans to shift into coaching. With all the experience I would have gathered by then, I am sure I would not only be able to build my brand but also be able to foster the next generation of esports athletes.

Offbeet plays a crucial part in this for me. The whole ideology of Offbeet Esports with its academy and training modules fits in perfectly with the plans I have for my future in this industry.

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Q. All four members of your competitive roster will be competing in the FGS regional qualifiers. How are you preparing for this event?

Sagnik: Well, not just the four of us, but our coach will be competing in the regional qualifiers as well! We are all practicing very hard for it. We have four to six hours of practice sessions per day, three training drills, game breakdowns for strategy, and then monitoring each other’s gameplay. All of us have gotten better and I am hopeful that we’ll all shine at the FGS qualifiers!

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Q. How does your approach and preparation for 1v1 gameplay differ from 2v2 gameplay? Which teammate would you consider the most compatible partner for your style of play?

Sagnik: So, 1v1 and 2v2 require two completely different types of strategies. In 1v1, you can play as you like and at your own pace, you are accountable to no one but yourself. While in 2v2, compatibility is the most important factor. No matter how good you are individually, it doesn't matter if you're not in sync with your partner. You have to have good chemistry with your partner, and be able to anticipate each other’s moves.

Tikka and I have a very similar playing style, we communicate well in the game and also help keep each other calm in stressful situations. So, for now, it’s Tikka. However, we are all getting better at teaming up with each other in our FIFA training sessions, so I'm confident that in the future we will all prove to be perfect 2v2 teammates for each other.

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Q. You recently started streaming on YouTube and posting reels on your Instagram account. How important is content creation for a competitive FIFA player?

Sagnik: While we all enjoy consuming content, we all get a little lazy when it comes to creating it. To be honest, I was not too keen to start the whole content creation journey. However, once I started doing it, I started enjoying the process very much. It allowed me time to look at the content that I am creating from different perspectives, and the whole process has proved to be quite insightful.

In today’s world, content is king and whether you are an esports athlete or from any other industry, if you are not able to create a connection with your audience, you're unlikely to have a very long career.

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Q. How does being an esports athlete affect other aspects of your life? What are your thoughts on esports being a viable career option?

Sagnik: There is very little exposure to this industry in India. Most people have no idea what it means to be a gamer. I get all kinds of reactions when I tell people that I am a professional esports athlete and I play games to earn my living. Some of their reactions were priceless.

I think esports is as viable a career as anything else. It’s a sport at the end of the day, it's not always fun and games. We train hard, learn new tricks, and strategies on an ongoing basis, and monitor both our own and our opponents' gameplay. To keep competing, you have to be very strong mentally.

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Q. As a reputable and successful competitive FIFA player, what is your message for aspiring esports athletes looking to compete and make a living playing their favourite games?

Sagnik: If you have talent, then put in the hours and compete in tournaments. If you lose, get up and try again. As a gamer, your mind space when you play is the most important element of your skillset. You have to be mentally strong, wins and losses will come and go. If you can push through your losses with your head held high, you’ve won half the battle.