Being stuck in lockdown and unable to get into the water gave pro surfer Kanoa Igarashi some valuable time to hone his skills — in FIFA 20.
Igarashi, who will surf for Japan in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics next year, recently showed off his PlayStation 4 soccer talents in a match against Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix as part of Play Together — a collaboration between the World Surf League and EA, which makes the long-running FIFA video game series. The project pits surfers against pro soccer players on the virtual stage.
Igarashi competed from his base in Portugal, where he does his preseason training. He was there when the coronavirus pandemic forced him, and many around the world, into lockdown. Unable to even train in the ocean, he passed the time with video games.