Matchday Champions
Overview
Backed by Play Time, the tech investment firm founded by Lionel Messi, Matchday Champions was built at high speed under strict licensing rules, with new features landing almost weekly. From the first days of the project, I shaped the core user journey across onboarding, deck building, daily challenges, rewards and card collection. The goal was to make a fast moving sports experience feel intuitive, readable and rewarding.
Challenge Context
The pace was intense. Licensing feedback changed often, priorities shifted daily, and the art team needed clearer ways to explore visual directions without slowing down production. We needed UX structures that held everything together, plus a way to experiment visually without increasing workload.
Design Approach
I grounded every decision in real player behaviour, focusing on clarity and reducing cognitive load during quick interactions. As production accelerated, I introduced Midjourney into my workflow to explore themes, moods, and layout directions more rapidly. These AI-generated references became a tool for creative alignment, helping us test ideas earlier and make decisions with more confidence.
Deliverables
I designed the UX flows and interaction models for core features, creating reusable UI structures that kept the game consistent across modes. I also produced AI-assisted visual explorations to speed up early art direction, and built interactive prototypes and implementation specs that supported fast iteration throughout production.
Outcomes
The game shipped on time with smoother onboarding and stronger early engagement. The AI-powered workflow sped up exploration, sharpened our visual direction, and helped keep the experience consistent under pressure. The UX patterns I designed became the backbone for live ops and future content updates.
Key Learnings
This project strengthened my ability to anchor decisions in real player behaviour while navigating shifting constraints and tight timelines. It also reinforced the value of thoughtful exploration methods that speed up iteration without sacrificing clarity, cohesion, or creative intent.
Video credit
Mariaelisa Trupia