Top Tips: FIFA Interactive World Cup

Warm up for the Grand Final of the world's largest interactive tournament with these top tips from the 2008 and 2012 FIFA Interactive World Cup Champion, Alfonso Ramos.

A massive 2.5 million football fans have taken part in the FIFA Interactive World Cup 2013, smashing last year's record of 1.3 million. Now you can learn from the best with the 2008 and 2012 FIFA Interactive World Cup Champion, Alfonso Ramos.

Lofted pass

"I usually use the lofted pass to get the ball up to my strikers. Look out for when your forward is level with the last defender and then use a lofted pass to take out the defender and get your player into a good goal-scoring position."

Formation

"Picking the right formation can be a deciding factor and I have three to four formations which I vary depending on my opponent. The main one I use is 4-1-2-1-2; this is a balanced formation which is hard for opponents to overcome given the central defensive midfield pairing."

Team Choice

"Along with the correct formation, picking the right team is equally as important. Whichever one you choose, make sure you get to know it and its strengths really well. My favourite team is Real Madrid and I always try to have the fastest players in my starting line-up as speed can be one of the most decisive factors in winning a game. When I have two players to choose from, I always pick the faster one."

Adapting tactics

"Even with a good team and a good formation, you must be able to react to whatever your opponent does on the pitch. For example, if I play an opponent who focuses on defence, I use a 4-4-2 formation as this gives me more options to break him down. I even adapt my tactics during the game – if I'm behind, for example, I'll switch to a more attacking formation to try and get back in the game."

Double pass

"In the game, the double pass, which can be done by pressing the L1 button whilst passing the ball, is very important. It is especially effective between the striker and the attacking midfielder, as it enables the midfielder to run into open space and receive the ball back from the striker."

Crossing

"Crossing in FIFA 13 is not so easy; however, you can find a lot of space down the wings and this is where faster players such as Arjen Robben and Neymar are most effective. It is important to note that even if you are unable to score from a cross, you can use wingers to dribble the ball or to make a pass, which can be just as effective."

Tricks

"In one-on-one situations, I usually try to pass rather than using tricks. Nevertheless there times when you cannot manage without tricks. You should perfect at least two or three tricks, which you can use in special situations. My personal favourites are the roulette and the scissor move."

Ball control

"Being able to control the ball at close quarters is a great way to put pressure on the opposition in their area. Press the L2 button to control the ball and combine this with a quick burst of speed to gain an advantage on your opponent. Bear in mind though that picking the right pass at the right moment will often reap more rewards than a solo run."

Defend in numbers

"I will usually press the R1 button to instruct a computer-controlled teammate to close down an attacker. That means that I can focus on intercepting any pass with the player I am controlling."

Set pieces

"Try to make the most of free kicks and corners as these provide an excellent opportunity to score. It's worth going to the training arena to improve your set pieces, especially as the new free kick mode showcases lots of ways to take a free kick which can catch your opponent unawares."

So there you have it - ten top tips from the great Alfonso Ramos, winner of two FIFA Interactive World Cup titles. If you fancy putting his advice to use, fire up FIFA 13 on your PlayStation 3 and prepare to rub shoulders with the world's best virtual footballers.

Catch up with all the epic match-ups from this year's FIFA Interactive World Cup at fifa.com/fiwc.