July 18 – Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham, in his now iconic celebratory pose, will adorn the cover of the EA Sports FC 25 standard edition, EA Sports revealed on Wednesday.
Fresh from unpacking his bags after England’s attempt at glory in the Euros, Bellingham was announced this week as having taken the coveted cover slot – marking the first Englishman to hold the cover position solo since Wayne Rooney in 2011.
In truth, it’s not a huge surprise.
The player was already an EA Ambassador and the company’s fondness for the England international is no secret.
The 21-year-old takes over from Norway and Manchester City star Erling Haaland, and has snubbed new teammate Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman’s odds to return to the front cover were buffed following his sensational move to real Madrid, which was completed at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this week.
“I played this game with my brother all the time growing up, and I’ve always thought about how incredible it would be to one day be featured on the cover,” said Bellingham.
“There have been so many iconic players on the cover over the years, and I am delighted to be the most recent English player to be bestowed with this honour since 2011.”
The news comes just days after the England international was pictured on the front of the ultimate edition of the upcoming game, flanked by past and present legends Zinedine Zidane, Gianluigi Buffon, David Beckham and Aitana Bonmati.
EA seems to be opting for a simpler approach to its Ultimate Edition cover art this year, using a standard photo after receiving mixed feedback on the in-game artwork for EA Sports FC 24.
FC25 will be the platform for all of EA Sports’ FC Pro circuit next season. Last year’s inaugural competition cycle was a huge success, becoming the most lucrative football esports competition in history. Sunday night saw the competition’s $1,000,000 prize fund dished out to Anders Vejrgang after the 18-year-old was victorious at the FC Pro World Championships in Berlin.
An earlier leak suggests that EA Sports FC 25 will be released in September 2024, with a seven-day early-access period starting on September 20.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1732330084labto1732330084ofdlr1732330084owedi1732330084sni@g1732330084niwe.1732330084yrrah1732330084