Amakhosi players Shaun Bartlett and Gerald Sibeko were amongst hundreds of participants who were at the Sandton City Shopping Centre on Friday afternoon who participated in the South African leg of the 2008 FIFA Interactive World Cup in conjunction with EA Sports who produce the annual FIFA Football game. The game has in the past two years also featured The Amakhosi.

While the Chiefs players lend their support to the aspiring participants who for the next few days will be battling out for the right to be South Africa’s representative at the global event, the Chiefs captain and Sibeko themselves got playing and tried using their experience from the real life game towards helping them be successful in cyber space. It did not come off for them all the time though.

Keeper nightmare

Shaun Bartlett has given many keepers a torrid time on the field but he had a nightmare in front of goal at the FIFA Interactive World Cup, squaring off against two of the PSL’S finest shot stoppers in the form of Orlando Pirates keeper Senzo Meyiwa and Brian Baloyi of Mamelodi Sundowns. Bartlett feel short losing to both, he still enjoyed the occasion as he explained, “it was wonderful coming here to see people of all ages taking on each other. This gives people their chance at doing something they enjoy while literally trying to conquer the world one game at a time.

It is also a fantastic opportunity for the winner who has a shot at qualifying for the world finals of the FIFA Interactive World Cup, with regards to my games well let’s say that I am definitely of an older generation of footballer. In my time we did not have play stations and these kind of gadgets, my kids though seem to be quiet handy at these games”.