‘We’d smash all competition’ – Russian football star Dzyuba on starting his own phygital team and what he’d do in it

Phygital football will not supplant real football, and professionals are unlikely to want to seriously play it on a regular basis, believes Artyom Dzyuba, the top scorer of the Russian national team. However, he thinks that the new discipline will have its followers. The home World Cup hero also spoke about his own gaming habits, suggested a name for his own team and its possible lineup, and also said that in an attack he would simply stand as a “pillar” and float balls.

– You watched a whole half of phygital football. How was it? 

– Very interesting format. I enjoyed it. People tell me teams usually focus on success in one of two domains, either digital or physical, in order to maximize results.

– Will this innovative competition be able to replace real football in the future? 

– I don't think it can happen, really. Maybe in a hundred or two hundred years. However, if these semi-professional competitions are interesting to people, why not have them? Guys who can't shine in real football can become stars in the virtual one. They can have a high profile. And other guys will carry the ball for them in real life (laughs). You can mix and match as both disciplines are exciting. It's great!

– There has been recent news about a Russian counterpart of the FIFA game. Do you think such a project may be successful?

– As far as I remember, it was Arshavin who suggested it? (laughs). I honestly doubt that we can do it at a decent level. EA Sports have been doing it for a long time, and still they are getting complaints from users about one thing or another. The latest release of the simulator is perhaps the soundest one, and at least resembles real football. If we manage to create our own full-fledged rival, I will be all for it.

– Ready to be the poster face of a product like this? 

– I don't know. As for who should be the poster face of the Russian game, let people choose. Everyone has their idols.

– Do you often sit down at the console yourself? 

– Not every day, of course, but I play now and then. When we get together with friends, the evening always ends with us arguing who is the strongest. Sometimes we can play in training camp. Have a little tournament. I love both football and hockey.

– Does it upset you that there are no Russian teams in EA Sports? 

– Of course, it would be fun to play for them; however, unfortunately, this is not possible at the moment.

– What do you think about the format of the Games of the Future? 

– I like it. I used to be more skeptical, but now I can say that it's cool. Many of us were told by our parents that computer games were a waste of time. However, nowadays guys are doing something they really like and have an aptitude for. They get unforgettable emotions.

– Andrei Arshavin asked the Russian president to assist in the development of a domestic football simulator prototype. What would you ask of Vladimir Putin? 

– I don't know... We crossed paths once and had a nice small talk. I'll come up with something when I'm around him.

– Ronaldinho has his own phygital team, R10. Should we expect a team of your own? 

– Time will tell. My D22, if it comes into being, it will smash competition (laughs).

– What is your favorite discipline in the tournament taking place in Kazan? 

– I like CS2 combined with laser tag, and also football, hockey and basketball. These are the disciplines that are interesting to me personally; however, I have heard of the battle of robots. They say it's cool. Every discipline has its own schticks.

– How do you feel about martial arts? 

- Yeah, that's interesting, too. I have friends from the MMA world. For example, Taras Kiyashko is the mentor of Aleksandr Volkov, with whom we train together.

– When you watched phygital football, didn't it remind you of Medialiga? 

– It's definitely similar in level (laughs). It's an interesting format, so why not. The guys like it, and I'm cool with it. The only thing I don't understand is the level of the digital part of these matches. Are the athletes really good at playing on a console?

– Ex-footballers Roman Shishkin and Alexander Sheshukov take part in the Games of the Future. Would you like to try your hand here? 

– I am an active athlete and enjoy performing at the professional level. In the future, why not? I would quickly adapt to the size of the field and the format of the tournament: after all, we all played in small rinks as kids. My stature would also help: in an attack I would simply stand as a “pillar” and float balls. I like that. I could even play in the NHL! For example, I would keep the goal. Take the medical readings of the players, which are displayed on the screen during matches: one athlete has a heart rate of 80, and another one, 200. You might think: someone is falling asleep, and the other guy, on the contrary, is in a state of panic. We are all different, and that is why it was fun to watch.

– You've already said that you are open to the idea of creating a phygital team of your own in the future. If D22 comes true, who will rock it? 

– Many of my friends would gladly take part in such a venture. For sure, the team will include Ivan Kuzmichyov. He is perfectly good in FIFA, Counter-Strike and NHL. Plus Stas Magkeev and Max Nenakhov. That would be quite the gang.

– Looks like an exclusive Lokomotiv lineup... 

– Well, yes! And if you include not only current players, then Nikita Chernov, Sasha Golovin and Alexander Sobolev are very good in Counter-Strike. And the latter also excels in FIFA. I think he spends 20 hours a day playing computer games.

– Is it realistic to establish a phygital league where Russian professional clubs would play? 

– I don’t think so: for those who don't have much playing time, it's not quite right. You need to get in shape and get practice through 11-on-11 games. If anything, the guys used to play in reserve teams, but now the format of the Russian Cup has been changed and athletes get more game practice.

– Lastly, can I ask you to congratulate ladies ahead of the March 8 holiday? 

– No, no, no! I'll be asked to do the same thing a hundred times before then. I like the phrase: “At what point did February 14 also become International Women's Day?”. So, before March 8, men want to take a break and enjoy their lives.