Qualification is over – the FIFAe World Cup is just around the corner. Three Germans will be fighting for the crown next week
For some of the participants in the FIFAe World Cup qualifiers, it was an emotional grand tour. Eight Germans started among 128 contenders – three of whom will get to play for Mohammed ‘MoAuba’ Harkous’ successor from 14/07/2022.
“Winning the World Cup is the big goal “
The group stage was played in a double elimination format. This means that whoever loses two games from the first and second legs is eliminated. For the German singles champion Dylan ‘DullenMIKE’ Neuhausen, there was pressure early on because he lost his opening match and slipped into the lower bracket.
“After the opening defeat it was of course difficult to keep the focus, but my coach helped me a lot and made me realise that everything is still possible,” said the NEO player. He believes he has a good chance of winning the World Cup after the championship trophy, especially because “I have years of offline experience and the game suits me well at the moment. Winning the World Cup is the big goal that all FIFA players are working towards. To achieve that would definitely be a dream come true.”
Benedikt ‘BeneCR7’ Bauer also gets to live that dream. He drew the World Cup ticket back-to-back, repeating his qualification from last year. Next week he will finally be allowed to compete, after the 2021 World Cup had been cancelled. “When the World Cup didn’t take place last year, it was one of the most disappointing moments of my life,” Bauer said.
He needed a bit of time “to process the whole thing”, but in the end he drew the necessary energy from it. The training schedule was fuller than ever, and after the final whistle the weight fell off his shoulders: “I even had a few tears of joy.
“Very, very silly” to play against a German
In the deciding match, he had prevailed against Levy Finn ‘levyfinn’ Rieck, of all people, from a German perspective. Neither were happy with this constellation. “On the one hand, he is of course a German colleague and friend, but on the other hand he is also a world-class player with extreme offensive qualities,” Bauer summarised. On top of that, “he was my main training partner before the Knockouts, so we knew each other inside out.”
“Very, very silly when you’re playing a German on your own – in a match where so much is at stake,” Rieck commented on the set-up. In the end, he said, experience decided this match in favour of ‘BeneCR7’.
“At the beginning I was sad, of course, when you are so close, but in hindsight I am already proud of what I have achieved this year,” summed up ‘levyfinn’. In his debut season, the 20-year-old was voted Newcomer of the Year in the Virtual Bundesliga. With Hansa Rostock, he secured victory in the North-West Division.
A rollercoaster of emotions
In his very first season at the qualifiers, Werder Bremen’s Berkay “BerkayLion” Demirci was also there. Like Rieck and Bauer, he also had to play in the deciding match of the lower bracket. It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Already trailing 0:4 in the second leg, the 17-year-old fought his way back. He managed to equalise and saved himself for the penalty shoot-out. But his opponent triumphed in the shootout. “To fail so shortly before participating in the World Cup was certainly the most bitter moment of the year,” said Demirci.
In the meantime, however, he is also taking positive stock. Going to the FIFAe World Cup Play-offs in London alone was the highlight of the season for me. Meeting all the professionals from all over the world in person is something very special, plus the excitement, atmosphere and emotions during the tournament. My goal was the knockout phase – I got there with good performances.” He has his sights firmly set on next year’s World Cup participation
