Matheus Silva (left) and Yan Martins, of Free Fire’s P4 team, play on their cellphone at the Ceilandia neighbourhood, in Brasilia. Brazilian youngsters are playing less and less football to play video games, which could ultimately have an impact on the Brazilian elite sport, which drew some of its stars from popular neighbourhoods. — AFP
BRASILÍA: Ask Brazilian teen Yan Araujo who his idols are, and he doesn’t hesitate. Not Neymar. Not Vinicius Junior. “Nobru and Cerol,” he says – superstars of the booming gamer scene in Brazil’s favelas.
Like his heroes, 15-year-old Araujo is a die-hard player of Free Fire, an online multi-player game designed for cellphones – perfect for Brazil’s poor slums, where expensive gaming consoles are rare but phones are relatively easy to come by.
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Matheus Silva (left) and Yan Martins, of Free Fire’s P4 team, play on their cellphone at the Ceilandia neighbourhood, in Brasilia. Brazilian youngsters are playing less and less football to play video games, which could ultimately have an impact on the Brazilian elite sport, which drew some of its stars from popular neighbourhoods. — AFP
Matheus Silva (right) and Yan Martins, of the Free Fire's P4 team, play on their cellphone at the Ceilandia neighborhood, in Brasilia. A full 96% of favela children aged 15 and younger want to grow up to be professional gamers, and 29% call it their biggest dream in life, according to a 2021 survey by the Data Favela Institute. — AFP
Growing numbers now aspire to make it as professional gamers, inspired by Nobru, Cerol and other eSports phenoms who have gotten rich and famous playing video games. — AFP
Araujo’s teammate Matheus da Silva says he is training to become the next “Bak” – Free Fire star Gabriel Lessa, the seven-time Brazilian champion. — AFP
Araujo and five teammates from the P. Sul favela won the Brasilia Free Fire championships last year, organised by favela community organisation Cufa. — AFP
Matheus Silva (left) and Yan Martins, of the Free Fire's P4 team, walk at the Ceilandia neighborhood, in Brasilia. — AFP
Yan Martins, of the Free Fire's P4 team, plays on his cell phone at the Ceilandia neighborhood, in Brasilia. — AFP
Matheus Silva, of the Free Fire's P4 team, plays on his cell phone at the Ceilandia neighborhood, in Brasilia. — AFP
Matheus Silva, of the Free Fire's P4 team, plays on his cell phone at the Ceilandia neighborhood, in Brasilia. — AFP
Matheus Silva, of the Free Fire's P4 team, plays on his cell phone at the Ceilandia neighborhood, in Brasilia. — AFP
Matheus Silva (right) and Yan Martins, of the Free Fire's P4 team, play on their cell phone at the Ceilandia neighbourhood, in Brasilia. — AFP
