Johannesburg - They may not have come out on top, but South African gamers Julio “Beast” Bianchi and Kaylan Moodley have certainly captured the attention of gamers from around the globe.
The duo, who competed at this week’s prestigious FIFAe Team Of The Season (TOTS) Cup in London, became the first South African and African gamers to secure a spot to the inaugural FIFA event.
The two SA gamers finished 17th out of 24 countries.
The FIFA TOTS Cup is an official EA tournament where the top teams from all over the world compete for a share of the $500 000 prize pool (R7.7 million).
16 Masters teams received direct invites to the tournament, and 16 teams from all over the world competed in open qualifiers to earn a spot in the TOTS Cup.
Julio and Kaylan won the Johannesburg open qualifiers that guaranteed their spot.
The duo, playing under SAF x Goliath Gaming for the event, had a great showing in the tournament, winning some big games, however two narrow defeats in the knockout stages sealed their fate in the tournament.
In the early stages of the tournament, the South African duo topped group C, which was considered the group of death, which consisted of NOM Esports (Israel), Complexity (America) and Atlanta United (America).
In their first group game, they took down the 2x FIFAe Club World Cup Champions Complexity in a 2-1 nailbiter, before defeating Atlanta United 5-4 on penalties.
In the knockout phases of the tournament, the SA duo succumbed to defeats against DUX Gaming from Spain as well as UT7 Esports from Italy.
The Saturday Star caught up with the two gamers to chat about all things FIFA.
Julio “Beast” Bianchi : (Cape Town)
How much did you enjoy competing at the FIFAe Team Of The Season (TOTS) Cup in London?
It was such a great honour and a privilege for us to be a part of an event of such prestige. It was another opportunity to showcase our talent to the world and to compete against the best players in the world, has always been very special to me.
What kind of preparation do you have to go through to get ready for a tournament as big as this?
Lots of practice and communication with my teammate. Hours of trying to perfect our collective play style and tactics. I’m confident on the day if we perform how we know we can, we’ll do well.
How long have you been playing Fifa for?
I’ve been playing casually all my life basically, since I was seven years old I’d say. Professionally I’ve done it for three years and it’s been an unbelievable journey. I’ve accomplished things I’ve never thought possible.
Which is your favourite team to play with on FIFA?
It has to be Paris Saint Germain (PSG).
Who do you rate as the most lethal striker on FIFA?
Kylian Mbappe.
You are able to create your own FIFA Team, choosing any players in the world. Who makes your starting 11?
GK- Manuel Neuer RB- Dani Alves CB- Fabio Cannavaro CB- Virgil Van Dijk LB- Roberto Carlos CM-Kevin De Bruyne CM-Zinedine Zidane CAM-Lionel Messi LW-Cristiano Ronaldo ST-Ronaldo (R9) RW-Kylian Mbappe.
What makes a great FIFA player?
Composure and an elite mentality. A game can be won before you even touch a controller. So it’s important to keep a level head and always stay focused.
Your signature move on FIFA is…?
The new shot cancel.
The best FIFA to be ever made is…?
FIFA 18
The SA celebrity you would most like to take on in FIFA is…?
Cassper Nyovest.
Kaylan Moodley: (Johannesburg)
What kind of preparation have you had to undergo in order to get ready for a tournament of this nature?
We bootcamped for a week in Norwich (England), practised as much as we possibly could to hopefully achieve the best possible result at the tournament.
How long have you been playing Fifa for?
I’ve been playing FIFA ever since I could remember but I’d probably say FIFA 06 which was when I was around the age of 4.
Which is your favourite team to play with on FIFA?
PSG right now is without a doubt my favourite team to use, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in one team is almost impossible to beat.
Who do you rate as the best midfielder on FIFA?
Jude Bellingham for me; he has all the attributes needed to be the best in his position.
You are able to create your own FIFA Team, choosing any players in the world. Who makes your starting 11 ?
My starting 11 would be, Goalkeeper Alisson Becker, Right back would be Trent Alexander Arnold, Centre backs I’d go for are Virgil Van Dijk and Antonio Rudiger, left back maybe Alphonso Davies, my right midfielder being Lionel Messi and my left being Neymar and my two central midfielders are Kevin De Bruyne and Jude Bellingham and lastly, my strikers are Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo.
What makes a great FIFA player ?
It’s not as easy as people would think. To be a great FIFA player you have to put a lot of time into the game with even more dedication; mentally you have to be really strong and you have to adapt at all times. There’s also always someone who’s going to be better than you, you just have to keep putting your head down and keep working. You don’t become the best or the greatest overnight.
Your signature move on FIFA is… ?
The elastico. It’s one of, if not the most, effective skill move in the game and has been for the past few years.
Greatest FIFA edition to come out is… ?
That’s really difficult but in my opinion it would be between FIFA 15 and FIFA 17, I’ve never enjoyed a FIFA as much as I enjoyed those two.
You can take on any SA celeb in a game of FIFA. Who do you choose to take on ?
Without a doubt Kim Jayde. I hope she finds this somewhere and we can make it happen, I promise to go easy.