Efootball, which is developed and published by Konami, remains the most popular football simulation video game in Asia, particularly Southeast Asia. The devoted following of Efootball, originally known as Pro Evolution Soccer, has not been swayed by the Fifa series, published by EA.
And like other Southeast Asian countries, interest for the eFootball tournament is still high in Indonesia. They even held an official national competition dubbed the Indonesia Football Eleague (IFEL) a few months ago, which were joined by football teams from Liga 1.
Yos “Indominator” Sonneveld is one of the names that is quite talked about in the local league when it comes to the virtual soccer tournament in Indonesia, thanks to his good relationship with the local eFootball community and its players.
Speaking to Ulti Asia at the recent IESF games in Bali, the former Arsenal esports player said it was his friendship with the Indonesian community that drove him to join the PSIS Semarang esports team in IFEL last season.
“It was Putra, the manager of IFEL. My contract with Arsenal expired around July this year. When Putra heard the news, he quickly called me and asked me If I wanted to play for a local Indonesian team,” Indominator recalled. He then stated that he has ultimately decided to leave his work in Netherlands to play for PSIS Semarang.
Despite his joy at returning to his mother’s birthplace, the Dutch-Javanese pro player said that his competitive experience in the local league was subpar in a number of respects.
“I feel this game doesn’t suit me!” Indominator blasted his last IFEL experience. “During IFEL, we played online. To be honest, Indonesia’s internet connection is horrible. I guess the players in Indonesia are acclimated to this condition, but I’m not.”
He also pointed out that Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) mandated the usage of the Indonesian league pack after matchday five, which made him readjust. According to Indominator, switching from high to low rated players forced him to play at a slower pace.
Indominator, however, admitted that he’s impressed with the current state of Indonesian players. When we met him on the sidelines of the competition at the IESF WEC 2022 in Nusa Dua, Bali, he asserted that Indonesia has the best gameplay out of all Asian competitors.
“I believe Indonesia has everything to win, particularly in this IESF. During my time in IFEL, I observed firsthand how Indonesian players’ mechanics have evolved in comparison to previous years. Players such as Elga and others could shine in big games,” said Indominator.
When asked about a second chance to compete in IFEL next season, Indominator said that he would be interested if he was invited to play in Indonesia again. The former PES World Finals Co-op 2018 runner-up, however, has stated that he is pondering a return to London as an Arsenal player at the start of next year.
