The young soccer player Kiyan Prince was tragically murdered in front of his school in 2006. Now, through the collaboration of his father’s organization and EA Sports, he is immortalized in FIFA 21 as an adult.
What happened? When 15-year-old Kiyan Prince tried to defend another boy from attackers in front of his school, he was fatally stabbed with a single knife wound and died.
Before this incident, he was considered a great talent at the academy of the British football club Queen’s Park Rangers. He was very likely on the path to a professional career. He was nicknamed “The Bullet,” which he earned according to EA due to his speed and natural talent on the field.
Today, 15 years later, he is officially inducted into the club as a professional footballer. He receives the jersey number 30, corresponding to his current age. He is also included as a player in FIFA 21.
For this, his face has been meticulously reconstructed and calculated to reflect how he would look today as an adult.
The initiative aims to “inspire children to honor their own talent as well.”
This is how it went down: The special effects studio Framestore, together with scientists from the University of Bradford, calculated how Kiyan would appear today at around 30 years of age.
The result is now being published on large advertisements in the UK and is memorialized as a player in FIFA 21.
Who is behind the initiative? Dr. Mark Prince, Kiyan’s father and a former professional boxer, established the Kiyan Prince Foundation after the death of his son.
This foundation advocates for children and young people, standing against violence. According to Dr. Prince, he wanted to honor his son’s legacy with this foundation and prevent other parents from experiencing a similar fate. He states:
Through this campaign, I hope that the world can finally take a look at Kiyan’s incredible potential. We must honor his talent, and hopefully, we can inspire other children to honor their own talent as well.
reuters.com
As a father, he was driven by thoughts of revenge for a long time, but after a long process, he has become a spokesperson and motivator who now tries to help young people make better decisions.
Dr. Prince claims he broke down when he saw his son in virtual form and as an adult running on the field of FIFA 21.
Les Ferdinand, former forward for QPR, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur, and now director of Queen’s Park Rangers, hopes that this initiative might influence some players.
He comments: “Most of these boys of this generation play FIFA. They will see Kiyan, and if even just one of them can change their attitude, it’s worth it.”
The result in FIFA 21 can be seen in this image published by EA (via ea.com):
“Long live the Prince”
How can players find Kiyan in the game? EA has released a statement on its website: Kiyan will be playable in the game in career and kickoff modes. In the game, he is to be portrayed as realistically as possible at this age. This will be enabled through meticulous work and the game engine.
He will be integrated into the game as a striker in his prime, having had years to improve his skills. His attributes have been developed in collaboration with his father, former teammates, coaches, and friends, to refine his playing style.
Kiyan Prince will be available in FIFA 21 across all platforms on May 18 and 19 (via ea.com).
