Saudi gamer pockets $250K after winning FIFA eWorld Cup

Saudi Arabian gamer Mosaad Aldossary picked up a cool $250,000 in prize money when he claimed glory at the FIFA eWorld Cup grand final in London on Saturday.

Aldossary, who competes under the name ‘Msdossary’, beat Belgian opponent Stefano ‘StefanoPinna’ Pinna in the final at the O2 Arena, sealing a 4-0 aggregate victory over two legs playing the FIFA18 video game – one on the PlayStation console and one on the Xbox.

The action capped the end of a tournament that saw an initial 20 million participants in qualifying, whittled down to just 32 greats of the digital game for the grand finals in London.

The competition was every bit as fierce as at the recently-ended World Cup in Russia, with participants undergoing doping testing and participants preparing by practising for around 10 hours a day.

READ MORE: ‘Fortnite’ fortune: Video game offers $100mn in prize money

The grand finalists went through a group stage, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final – just like the teams did for the real thing in Russia this summer.  

The tournament has been held annually since 2004, but has seen the prizemoney increase more than ten-fold since 2016.

© Henry Nicholls © Reuters

The event was broadcast on Sky Sports as well as livestreamed online, and there was a capacity of 3,500 at the 02 Arena to watch the action.    

While Aldossary has twiddled his way to the top prize, Pinna goes home with $50,000 as runner-up as part of the total $400,000 prizemoney on offer at the event.

Aldossary, who competes for eSports group ‘Team Rogue’, is the second Saudi to win the title after compatriot Abdulaziz Alshehri won the 2015 edition, then known as the FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC).

READ MORE: Pro gamer splits with ‘World’s Sexiest Weathergirl’ to fully focus on Call Of Duty

Speaking on his triumph, he said: “I’ve made my country proud by bringing home the trophy. This is my second event in the UK and it’s my second win, so I think this is my second home.

“I haven’t decided what to do with the $250,000. My aim every year is to win more trophies,” he added, according to the FIFA website.

“Last year I got one and this year I’ve got two. It’s an honor to be the first winner of the new trophy. Hopefully I can keep getting better and better.”

© Henry Nicholls © Reuters

He also gets an invitation to the FIFA Best Awards in London later this year, where he will have the chance to rub shoulders with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.