FIFA covers reflect global appeal

By Tim Surette, GameSpotPosted Mar 27, 2006 4:36 pm PT

Box art for Electronic Arts' soccer game goes international with region-specific cover athletes; Claudio Reyna nets North American cover.

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Landon Donovan may be the most recognizable homegrown soccer star in the US, but there's a little place out there where he's not so well known--it's called the rest of the world. Realizing that soccer is an international sensation with its own niche markets, publisher Electronic Arts has announced that its upcoming FIFA World Cup game will come with nine region-specific covers.

US National Team captain Claudio Reyna was chosen as one of the cover athletes for the North American release of the game. The New Jersey native plays professionally for Premiere League team Manchester City in England and is considered one of the US' greatest talents. Mexican soccer star Jamie Lozano will also be featured on the cover.

The list of region-specific covers and the cover athletes that will be featured on them is as follows:

Region--Athlete--World Cup team

China--Zhi Zhen--China
England--Frank Lampard--England
Germany--Lukas Podolski--Germany
Italy--Alessandro Del Piero--Italy
Portugal--Simao--Portugal
Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemborg--Arien Robben--Netherlands
Switzerland--Ricardo Cabanas--Switzerland
Spain--Xavi--Spain
USA, Canada, Mexico--Jamie Lozano--Mexico
USA, Canada, Mexico--Claudio Reyna--USA

In regions where the game is available that aren't listed above, box art will feature the official 2006 World Cup logo and championship trophy.

FIFA World Cup is currently in development by EA Canada for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, DS, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Portable, PC, mobile phones, and Xbox 360. The game is rated E for Everyone and will be released on April 24 in North America and April 28 in Europe and Asia.

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StephenKrishnan
Posted Feb 25, 2008 5:20 pm PT

It was a good idea, but there are better players.
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StephenKrishnan
Posted Feb 25, 2008 5:18 pm PT

It was a great idea, but there are better players.
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legoman90
Posted Jun 28, 2007 10:20 am PT

all of you people yell at americans for calling it soccer, but who do you think plays more video games? Americans or everybody else?
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boyinabox
Posted Mar 30, 2006 9:31 am PT

Who cares who is actually on the cover, just make sure the game is good!
I don't mind if the yanks call it Soccer anyway, at least when we have a "WORLD" in the competition there are actually other countries.
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Mike-23
Posted Mar 29, 2006 6:43 pm PT

Why are they doing this to me!?!? they should have put the world cup and club teams in a same game as they did with fifa 98... remember? well what can we do...? P.D Viva Costa Rica!!
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SWEToryu
Posted Mar 29, 2006 4:23 am PT

Who cars whom will become a cover... It's so many great footballs player in this world, i've have never seen Fredrik Ljungberg on a FIFA cover ever that is a great player and a good team player too... Hmm will probley never see him on a cover so whatever!!!
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fighterguard
Posted Mar 28, 2006 3:59 pm PT

And I'd rather see Colombia--Ivan Ramiro Cordoba--Colombia. But, alas, Colombia didn't even qualified for the World Cup.
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fighterguard
Posted Mar 28, 2006 3:57 pm PT

I wish the DS version was at least as good as, but if possible better than, FIFA 2006.
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loic54
Posted Mar 28, 2006 12:46 pm PT

l337
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The_PC_Gamer
Posted Mar 28, 2006 12:36 pm PT

EA needs to stop cashing in on each tournament.

They used to make FIFA games come with the World Cup mode. Now they took it away and release it separately to cash in.

Greedy poeple....
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eduardo_erazo
Posted Mar 28, 2006 12:06 pm PT

You all bunch of loosers...! the mather of fact that u dont know the best sport in the world doesnt mean that it doesnt exist... whats baseball, or baskettball, against soccer?? nothing!!! soccer king of sports!!
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eduardo_erazo
Posted Mar 28, 2006 12:02 pm PT

You all bunch of loosers...! the mather of fact that u dont know the best sport in the world doesnt mean that it doesnt exist... whats baseball, or baskettball, against soccer?? nothing!!! soccer king of sports!!
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Staticbb
Posted Mar 28, 2006 10:16 am PT

Everybody knows the cover of FIFA in all regions should have one big picture of the mighty reds manchester united because they own ALL regions and ALL clubs.

cept brazil...because ronaldinho is a beast.
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SteelAttack
Posted Mar 28, 2006 9:28 am PT

Maybe EA should focus more on improving the gameplay of the FIFA series, and less on region-specific covers.
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Reno35xbl
Posted Mar 28, 2006 9:24 am PT

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLL!!!!!!!!!
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macacd
Posted Mar 28, 2006 8:17 am PT

The Fédération internationale de football association (FIFA)

FOOTBALL, for the love of god its FOOTBALL.
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cusoker
Posted Mar 28, 2006 8:07 am PT

I like Pudolski, but wouldnt Ballack be better for the cover for germany... at least they didnt cop out and give the england cover to Beckham, nothing against him, but give to cover to someone else. Over all not bad selections, but i think they could have been better.
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kkee
Posted Mar 28, 2006 6:49 am PT

1. It's called Football. Guess what FIFA stands for?
2. Pro Evolution is far better.
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lillitilli
Posted Mar 28, 2006 6:45 am PT

i have already played this game, it is for sale in my copmuterstore, where i work. Its not htat good.. Good graphics tough
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Benny_is_here
Posted Mar 28, 2006 6:24 am PT

Norway's not there??? Jon Arne Rise would be perfect for the cover! I mean, he looks like a complete nutjob... And I remember China at least used to have a world cup team.
Yeah, the US is the only place that calls football for soccer, at least one of the few. Everybody else calls it football. We (I speak for all Norwegians here) call the other kind of football for american football. You use your foot a lot more in "soccer" than US football! I think US football should be called tackleball or yardball... What do you think?
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