IArsquo;m interviewing Paulo Neto EAFC 24 Coins at a strange time in his year: heArsquo;s just lost a competitive FC match. This is a statistical anomaly for the reigning eMLS champion, the most decorated man in US FC esports in 2023, and a member of Atlanta United, the team named eMLS Team of the Year in the same period. Practically the only other time heArsquo;s lost in the past 12 months is in the quarter finals of the FCe World Cup. 

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Aldquo;I didn't play my best on these two days of eMLS qualifiers,Ardquo; Neto tells me over video call. Aldquo;I still managed to get top six, which is not a bad result, but I wasnArsquo;t even near my top level.Ardquo;

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HeArsquo;s bitterly disappointed, but bad days Aldquo;just happen,Ardquo; and heArsquo;s not a sore loser. He praises his opponents that got the better of him, and promises that heArsquo;ll come back stronger. I just didnArsquo;t expect it to happen so soon. As reigning eMLS champion, he topped the power rankings going into Series 1 of 2024, and he quickly turned around his poor performances to put on a dominant show when it mattered most. 

After going 7-3-3 in the Round Robin, Neto topped his group with an impressive 12 points, before storming the knockout rounds, scoring 26 goals in the four high-stakes matches. He beat Minnesota UnitedArsquo;s Ehsan Alsquo;LampsArsquo; Zakeri by an astonishing 9-1 in the final, and picked up a fully deserved first place. He's back to his winning ways, and believes that all his hard work is finally paying off. 

Aldquo;It's an amazing feeling,Ardquo; he says, thinking back over his past year of successes. Aldquo;Not just because of the eMLS, but because we went to the FCe World Cup, and we got top four in the world in the Team of the Season Cup with my [former] partner Alsquo;ViniArsquo; [Leiva Tonetto] on duos.Ardquo;

Despite using similar teams in duos, itArsquo;s a very different ball game. ItArsquo;s not like being a champion in both football and rugby, but it utilises different skills, kind of like winning the 100m Sprint and then the 400m Relay. Neto is still building the chemistry and synergy he says is necessary to EA Sports Football Club Coins have success in Duos with new partner Gabriel Alsquo;YoungArsquo; Freitas, but if his individual performances are anything to go by, it will be difficult to stop him in any format.