As the the world’s 20 best EA SPORTS™ FIFA 14 players arrive in Rio de Janeiro for the the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2014 Grand Final on 2nd and 3rd July, we introduce you to some of the key players. Today we bring you the very strong team from France with 5 players at the Grand Final.
5 of France’s top FIFA players have qualified to proudly represent their country out in Rio. We bring you some key details here so you get to know the players in advance of this week’s Grand Final.
Bruce Grannec
The legend that is Bruce “The Machine” Grannec is 27 years old and qualified for Rio as the FIWC 2013 Champion. You can find here Bruce’s full bio for FIWC14 over at FIFA.com.
Bruce has won most major FIFA titles around the world, some multiple times. When asked for his opinion about his chances in the Grand Final:
Well, it’s simple. No defending champion has ever managed to keep his title. Like… Never. So i’ll just try to give my best as usual and see what happens.
Bruce is seeded #1 and he deservedly gets a strong thumbs up from us here at Sweetpatch TV as one of the tournaments pre-favourites.
Julien Dassonville
Julien is 24 years old and qualified for Rio as the Online Season 1 Winner. You can find here Julien’s full bio for FIWC14 over at FIFA.com.
Julien won the EGL 8 FIFA 1v1 and 2v2 titles in Manchester and has already been to 2 Grand Finals and believes this time he has more experience.
Each year I grow more confident and I am feeling good for this FIWC. The most important thing is the training. I don’t want to say I will beat everybody, but I am really confident. I hope I will go into the knockout rounds.
Julien is seeded #19 and based on his previous experience is a good outside bet.
Johann Simon
Johann is 20 years old and qualified for Rio as the Online Season 2 Winner. You can find here Johann’s full bio for FIWC14 over at FIFA.com.
Having lost out to Bruce Grannec in the French Final in 2012, one step way from qualification for Dubai, he believes he has a great chance in Rio.
I will go to Rio not just to participate. I think I can win and it’s up to me to practice until the Grand Final. I know that I’m an outsider but all is possible in this competition.
Johann is seeded #14 and and is a good bet to get out of the group stages.
Farid Diffallah
Farid is 19 years old and qualified for Rio as the Online Season 4 Community Qualifier Winner. You can find here Farid’s full bio for FIWC14 over at FIFA.com.
Having really enjoyed following the FIWC Grand Final Streaming in 2013, it made Farid decide to participate in this year’s FIWC. And does he believe he can win it?
As this is my first qualification it is quite hard to judge whether I have a real chance to win the Final.I believe all players have a chance for the Crown, me included.
Farid is seeded high at #9 but may struggle to progress beyond the group stages.
Adrien Viaud
Adrien is 25 years old and qualified for Rio as the Online Season 6 Winner. You can find here Adrien’s full bio for FIWC14 over at FIFA.com.
Having previously lifted the title of ESWC Champion, he puts qualifying for Rio this year as his biggest accomplishment at the FIWC this far. He tried to qualify for Los Angeles 2011 and again for Dubai 2012 but failed.
Making the Grand Final, that’s a sign that I can put in a good performance in Brazil. I know a lot of players that will be in Rio, and I think it will be a big test for all of us.
Adrien is seeded at #18 but with his previous experience of winning a world title, the knockout stages should definitely be within his grasp.
Team France
So France provide a quarter of the players for this years Grand Final, so will one of them be crowned World Champion on July 3rd?
Team England
If you missed it earlier, meet Ty Walton and Dave Bytheway as England’s representatives at the Grand Final.
FIWC Grand Final Is Coming to Brazil
The FIFA Interactive Grand Final 2014 will take place in Rio de Janeiro, during the FIFA World Cup Brazil, from 1-4 July. Watch the build up video FIWC Grand Final Is Coming to Brazil.
Player Seedings
The 20 Grand Finalists have been seeded according to the FIWC World Ranking which takes into account player performances over the past four editions of the FIFA Interactive World Cup, including both matches in qualification and games at the Grand Finals.
Over the years, FIWC Grand Finalists have collected ranking points which count towards their world ranking. The ranking depreciates on a yearly basis, meaning that more recent performances accrue stronger points than older editions of the FIWC.
[table “” not found /]*For players with the same world ranking, a world ranking tie-breaker was used. The player who qualified earliest in FIWC 2014 was given the better seeding.
Grand Final Draw
On 1 July, on the eve of the 2014 Grand Final in Rio, the FIWC will hold the tournament draw for the Grand Final. There are five pots, comprising 4 players each. The players will be drawn from the pots into four groups of five players each. Check out the pots and how the groups progress to the knockout stages at Grand Finalists ranked and ready for 2 July! – FIFA.com.
Meet the Finalists
In the lead up to the Grand Final we will introduce you to the key players for the two-day tournament.
So who is your favourite?
