Fifa eWorld Cup 2019 ones to watch: Who are the favourites to win?
Can MsDossary make history with back-to-back wins, or can Tekkz bring it home?
The world’s 32 best Fifa players have gathered in London to play for the chance to be crowned world champion at the 2019 Fifa eWorld Cup.
Alongside the trophy and bragging rights, the winner will also take home a $250,000 (£210,000) grand prize.
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The tournament takes place over three days at the O2 in London, from 2-4 August, with 16 of the players on Playstation and 16 on Xbox. The best of each stream will meet in the final, for a two-legged match to decide the world champion.
Those taking part are the best of the best when it comes to Fifa, meaning any of the players has a legitimate chance of taking home the winner’s trophy.
Among the favourites are Donnovan ‘Tekkz’ Hunt, Nicolas ‘Nicolas99fc’ Villalba and Corentin ‘MaestroSquad’ Thuillier, though it is difficult to look past Mossad ‘MsDossary’ Aldossary.
The Saudi Arabian winner of the 2018 eWorld Cup is back in London this year to defend his crown in the hope of becoming the first player since the tournament began to win back-to-back world titles.
“I really want to go back and win it again this year because noone has done back-to-back world championships,” he said in an interview with Fifa earlier this year. “I’m looking forward to it.”
To do the double, MsDossary will need to beat fellow favourite Tekkz, who is currently ranked as the world’s number one Fifa player.
He has been picking up win after win in the months of qualifying rounds leading up to the finals, and is arguably the biggest threat to the reigning champion.
“Tekkz versus MsDossary has been building throughout the entire season about who is the best competitive Fifa player this year,” said Dan Gaskin, one of the commentators at the eWorld Cup.
“Are we going to see MsDossary pick up a second world title? He would join just two other players in doing so and would also add a new record by winning back-to-back titles – no-one else has done it.”
You can follow all the latest news from the eWorld Cup on The Independent.
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A pause and some final changes here, as Nicolas tries to find two more goals with 20 minutes left.
Nicolas needs to score here. And he's really struggling to do so: wasting chances, missing his timings. It's hard to see this turning around...
MoAuba really relaxing here, passing the ball around and slinging it back to the keeper. Just three minutes left and two goals to get.
GOAL. nicolas99fc scores. 5-4 on aggregate. 89'.
Is he turning this around?
MoAuba doing everything he can to hold onto the ball and shut this down.
What a turnaround. Nicolas had been absolutely down and out. The last two goals came at 89' and 93'.
What an incredible last few minutes. MoAuba must be kicking himself here. He's given away a three goal cushion, and threw it away on the very last play of the game.