A STUDENT from Newport has teamed up with Welsh football legend Gareth Bale under the superstar’s new eSports organisation.

Tyler Phillips, 20, of Marlborough Road, said he “still can’t believe it”.

This week, Bale announced the launch of Ellevens Esports, co-owned with 38 Entertainment Group,  founded by entrepreneur Jonathan Kark and former footballer Larry Cohen.

“I have got a management called eSportsReputation and they organised it,” explains Mr Phillips, who also plays Saturday league football for Newport Corinthians.

“When I found about it, I couldn’t believe it.

“But it makes perfect sense really, he is Welsh and so am I.”

Essentially, Mr Phillips is an individual video gamer who will play FIFA under the Bale banner – or Ellevens, which is also the name of former Spurs player’s pub in Cardiff.

“Ellevens is my team, like Ronaldo plays for Juventus, it’s the exact same.

“Bale is my manager, as well as John and Larry.”

It means the Cardiff Metropolitan student will compete in tournaments across the world, representing the Real Madrid star.

South Wales Argus:

(The 20-year-old is a Manchester United fan.)

And, as 16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf, who won $3 million for winning the Fortnite World Cup last year will attest to, there’s big money at stake.

Should Mr Phillips win a FIFA tournament while representing Ellevens, he would split the money with them, but it could still be a life-changing sum.

Indeed, this weekend, he is heading to London for the chance to represent Arsenal in the ePremier League.

After playing 50 games of FIFA Ultimate Team – where you build your team using players from across all leagues and compete against other teams online – and winning 47, he ranked in the top eight.

He will now face off against seven others, with the winner then representing the Gunners and potentially winning £100,000 in the ePremier League: A virtual league with gamers representing each top-flight team.

He didn’t try to represent Manchester United – the team he supports - because they already have an eSports professional. With the malaise at Old Trafford infecting anyone within a 1-mile radius, it’s probably for the best.

South Wales Argus:

(Tyler's FIFA Ultimate Team, including legends such as Eusebio.)

As he is not owned by Ellevens, he is free to represent other clubs.

But that didn’t stop Bale from giving Mr Phillips and his teammates the VIP treatment.

He flew all of the Ellevens’ members out to Madrid to shoot the promotional video.

And Mr Phillips said Wales’ all-time leading goal scorer was perfectly normal.

“It was crazy, but he is really genuine.

“He doesn’t even look human, just looks like an action figure come to life.

“During shooting we were just in the changing room with Gareth Bale, it was unbelievable.

“But it was just like you and me talking now.”

He found out he would be teaming up with Bale a “couple of months ago”.

South Wales Argus:

(Bale holding a cartoon of himself eyeing up the European Championship Trophy alongisde Tyler, while filming in Madrid.)

“I literally haven’t been able to tell anyone. Not friends, no-one.

“It has killed me.”

Despite the mouth-watering prize money on offer, Mr Phillips is staying grounded.

He has always placed a value on education and work, studying Exercise and Sport Science at Cardiff Met and working part-time at St Woolos Hospital.

“Even if I did win a tournament, I wouldn’t give up university because 10 years down the line, they could shut it all down.”

Whereas you might expect video games to become an outlet for stress at work or university, he says the reverse is true.

While working at St Woolos, where he is a booking clerk, he reflects on his performance over the weekend.

He records most games, too, so he can watch back the matches he has lost and determine what went wrong.

Some of the scepticism over eSports stems from confusion, he says.

“Other than my mum, grandad and auntie, if I tell anyone else (about the venture with Bale) they think I am just lying.

“I had training on Wednesday with Corries and they thought I was [just making it up]. Then they saw the video Bale posted and understood.”

Even if he is focussed on his studies, the first-year student does see eSports as a viable career path.

“I 100 per cent think it is a possibility.

“All it needs is one bit of luck and it’s 100 grand.

“I just have to try grow my brand, Twitch, YouTube and social media.”

There has been one downside, though.

“My mates don’t want to play me anymore, they just refuse.”