Zurich-Switzerland, May 24, 2012: Spain’s Alfonso Ramos is the new FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) champion after triumphing over Bruce Grannec to win the thrilling final in Dubai. Ramos has now netted himself a cool 20,000USD grand prize, a ticket to the Ballon d’Or Gala and the prestigious accolade of being crowned the 2012 FIFA Interactive World Cup Champion.
With six online seasons, eleven live qualification events held worldwide, a record-breaking 1,300,000 participants and a breath-taking Grand Final staged by FIFA and Presenting Partners EA SPORTS and Sony PlayStation in the exclusive Jumeirah Resort in Dubai, the FIWC continues to set a formidable standard in the world of gaming.
After a tense 90 minutes the match ended with a stalemate as both Grannec and Ramos both struggled to break down their opponent’s rear-guard. After an equally tight extra-time period the match went to a decisive penalty shoot-out with plenty of opportunities for both players to win. However, Ramos stayed cool under pressure and struck the 20,000USD winning penalty.
The FIFA Interactive World Cup 2012 Grand Final was about more than just virtual football. The finalists enjoyed an incredible three-day visit to Dubai which included visiting the Burj Kalifa, the world’s tallest building, getting the chance to meet and play football with former FIFA World Cup winners Christian Karembeu and Luca Toni along with enjoying all the thrills and spills that Wild Wadi waterpark had to offer. The 24 Grand Finalists’ adventure in Dubai may be over, but their memories of it will live on forever.
Ralph Straus, FIFA’s Head of Strategy & Brand Management commented, “We are delighted to crown the first ever FIWC Champion to win the event on two separate occasions. The number of players competing in the FIWC this year represents yet another record-breaking achievement with our online community growing dramatically year on year. We are looking forward to further strengthening our collaboration with our Presenting Partners, EA Sports and Sony PlayStation, to develop and drive the online growth of this remarkable initiative.”
Nick Caplin, Head of Communications, SCEE added, “’PlayStation would like to congratulate Alfonso Ramos on his fantastic victory in this year’s FIFA Interactive World Cup. This year’s tournament has been an incredible success with over 1.3m players playing via PlayStation Network and we look forward to taking the tournament from strength to strength in the coming years.’
Jon Rosenblatt, Senior Marketing Director, EA SPORTS, Europe and Asia, added, “Tonight’s incredibly skilled and thrilling finale provided a suitable end to this year’s competition and Alfonso Ramos is a worthy champion. The FIFA Interactive World Cup 2012 has seen the strongest field of competitors ever and to emerge as the Champion is testament to his skills on the virtual pitch – congratulations!”
Streamed live for the very first time to an online audience, the popularity of the tournament continues to soar as fans all over the world were able to join in and witness the tension and excitement first hand Ramos’s success in the 2012 FIWC Grand Final.
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