A video game completely changed one Sheffield United player's career | OneFootball

Ben Brereton Diaz's career trajectory changed after a player discovered a key piece of information through the Football Manager video game

Ben Brereton Diaz has been a staple of the Championship for more or less the past eight years, but his career in professional football is truly one of a kind.

Brereton Diaz returned to Sheffield United this summer on loan from Southampton, having rejected loan offers from Derby County and Stoke City to return to work under Chris Wilder at Bramall Lane.

The 27-year-old has made over 250 Championship appearances in his career for the likes of Nottingham Forest, Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield United, Derby, and Southampton, and on the face of it, his career has been solid, but nothing extraordinary.

However, having earned 42 caps for Chile, there is more than meets the eye when looking at his career, as his journey to La Roja is a truly unique one.

Ben Brereton Diaz faced rejection from an early age before shining with Blackburn Rovers

Action images

Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Brereton Diaz played in the youth systems of Manchester United and Stoke City, but faced rejection from the Red Devils and the Potters at an early age, and considered giving up football altogether.

However, Nottingham Forest took a chance on the young forward, and they were duly rewarded, with Brereton Diaz progressing through the club's academy before going on to make 57 first-team appearances at the City Ground across all competitions, scoring nine and assisting seven, before Blackburn decided to part ways with £6 million in 2018 to bring him to Ewood Park.

With Blackburn, he would struggle to make an impact in his first couple of seasons at the club, scoring just twice in 40 league games for the Rovers. The 2020/21 season would be his breakthrough year, however, scoring seven and assisting four in 40 Championship games that year, but something much more special was already in the pipeline.

Ben Brereton Diaz's Chilean eligibility was discovered by chance through the Football Manager video game

Action images

In October 2018, Brereton Diaz did an interview with the Blackburn Rovers matchday programme, in which he revealed that he was half-Chilean through his mother, as this caught the attention of the club's Football Manager researcher, who inserted his second nationality into the game, and nothing more was thought of it.

However, Hitchen had laid the foundation for something special, as Chilean Football Manager streamer, Alvaro Perez, noticed his second nationality through the game, and subsequently began the social media campaign "#BreretonALaRoja', which quickly gathered traction online.

Chilean flags started popping up on Brereton Diaz's Instagram, his mum, Andrea, kept her son informed on the family WhatsApp group, and his agent, Olly Henry, received a WhatsApp message from scout Ben Corbyn (son of ex-Labour leader Jeremy), who does some consulting for Chile, and explained that they were monitoring the forward.

It took him around four months to acquire a Chilean passport, but by May 2021, he had received his first call-up to the South American nation's side, playing alongside the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Arturo Vidal, and Claudio Bravo.

He made his debut against Argentina in June 2021, sharing the field with Lionel Messi, and from there, his life was completely changed.

Ben Brereton Diaz's Chilean discovery coincided with an incredible upturn in form

Action images

Ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, Brereton Diaz was on a serious high following his Chilean adventure, and that reflected in his performances for Blackburn.

The forward netted three in his first four games, and by the new year, he had bagged 20 goals in the Championship, going through the form of his life and playing with a confidence that few could ever replicate.

He would manage just two more league goals from January 1st onwards throughout the rest of the season, suffering suspensions and tearing his ankle ligament, disrupting his form.

However, his performances in the second tier didn't go unnoticed, and after one more year at Ewood Park, Brereton Diaz would leave on a free transfer, joining Spanish outfit Villarreal, where things didn't exactly go to plan.

Ben Brereton Diaz has been a regular in the Championship throughout his career

Action images

The Chilean spent just six months at the Estadio de la Cerámica, making just 20 appearances across all competitions for the Yellow Submarine before returning to England with Sheffield United on loan for the second half of the 2023/24 season.

£7 million move to Southampton the following summer fell flat, as loans to Sheffield United, Derby, and most recently the Blades (again) have since occurred to varying degrees of success.

Whilst the 42-capped Chilean international has struggled to make a consistent impact at the very highest level, there is every chance he could tick over 300 Championship appearances this campaign by the age of 27.