"PHzin" wins 2024 EA Sports FC Open in London
10 February 2024
Paulo “PHzin” Henrique Chaves has won the first major piece of EA Sports FC silverware ever after coming out on top during the recent FC Pro 24 Open. This was the first official EA Sports FC Open since ditching the name FIFA and continuing the hugely popular football game franchise as EA Sports FC. The Brazilian, who plays in an Ajax Amsterdam shirt as he represents Ajax Esports, won the event by beating Danish competitor Anders “Vejrgang” Vejrgang 6 to 5 in the final, which was held at Troubadour Studios in northwest London.
Just a single defeat
By winning the first-ever EA Sports FC Open, “PHzin” had to overcome a host of world-class rivals, including the likes of last year’s EA Sports Cup winner Levi de Weerd, eChampions League 2023 winner Emre Yilmaz and eSerie A 2022 – Final Eight winner Francesco “Obrun2002” Tagliafierro. None of them were able to stop “PHzin” from winning the 2024 EA Sports FC Open though, as the Brazilian proved almost invincible from start to end.
As a matter of fact, “PHzin” only lost one game on his path from the Group Stage to the Grand Final. In Round 8 of the Group Stage, it was Argentinian Facundo “FacuCowen” Cowen who served the Brazilian a shock 0-4 defeat. Apart from that slip-up, the eventual champion was held to a draw twice, once by “FacuCowen” (4-4) and once by Brazilian Gabriel “Young” Freitas from Tuzzy Esports (6-6).
By the time every player had played the required eight Group Stage games, no one had managed to score more than “PHzin”’s 41 goals. Defensively though, the Brazilian had some work cut out for him, as he conceded 30 goals. Apart from “Young”, who in the same group as “PHzin” conceded the same number of goals, no other player who qualified for the quarterfinals came even close to conceding as many goals.
Impressive semifinal
In the quarterfinal, “PHzin” was pit against Ahmad “AboMakkah” Mujahid, a Saudi Arabian player who is currently affiliated to Team Falcons and who is best known for winning the FIFAe Club Series 2023 – Middle East Playoffs. A hotly contested 4-3 victory over the Dutchman won “PHzin” a spot in the semifinals, where the previously mentioned Emre “Obrun2002” Yilmaz was waiting for him.
Where a tight match was expected, “PHzin” actually wiped the floor with his Dutch opponent in the EA Sports FC Open semifinal. At no point during the game did “Obrun2002” seem like he was anywhere near to the final, eventually going down 2-8 against the man who would be crowned champion not long after that. Before that though, there was the small matter of the Grand Final.
In that final, Danish wonderkid Anders “Vejrgang” Vejrgang was waiting, who raise to fame thanks to his incredible 535-0 FUT Champions record when he was 15 years old (3 years ago now). That unprecedented run did not help him against “PHzin” though, as the Brazilian managed to overcome him by a single goal (6-5). The victory earned him $ 80.000 in prize money plus qualifications for the FC Pro 24 World Championship and the FC Pro 25 Open.