When most players call out EA Sports for how they are portrayedFIFA 21, it usually has to do with them finding their rating to be too low, as seen with Inter Milan strikerRomelu Lukaku. This time, his cross-town rival in AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimović has taken issue with being in the game at all.
In a Twitter post, Ibrahimović blasted EA Sports for his face and name being inFIFA 21without his permission. The Swedish striker also called out soccer governing body FIFA and players union FIFPro for allowing his virtual inclusion without his knowledge, calling for an investigation into his inclusion.
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Tottenham, on loan from Real Madrid, winger Gareth Bale replied to Ibrahimović’s tweet, also calling for an investigation. Curiously, both players have been involved with the long-running soccer franchise. In a 2017 interview with EA Sports, Ibrahimović expressed happiness for being in the game for the sake of his fans and children, following the striker being awarded a specialFIFA 17Ultimate Team card. Meanwhile, Bale starred on the cover ofFIFA 14.
Despite these accusations, it is important to note that Ibrahimović’s club AC Milan has signed an exclusive agreement with EA Sports that allows the developers to use accurate face scans, followingFIFArivalPESlosing the license to the Italian club. As of this time of writing, the club sits at the top of the Serie A, with Ibrahimović having scored 10 goals in 6 league games. The 39-year-old striker has been in evergreen form since his return to Europe from MLS club LA Galaxy, despite testing positive for COVID-19 in September.
Ibrahimović’s situation comes after retired player David Beckham reportedly signed a lucrative contract with EA Sports for his likeness to be included in the game. The English legend features on thenext-gen cover ofFIFA 21and appears in the Ultimate Team mode as a playable Icon. As per theMirror, the deal is for £40 million (US$50 million) over three years, which would be more than his £100,000 (US$133,000) per week contract at Manchester United or his £25 million (US$33 million) five-year contract at LA Galaxy.
BesidesFIFA, several other players have also faced issues with their appearances in other games. In 2017, Argentine legend Diego Maradona considered legal action against Konami for his depiction inPES 2017, but has been included in bothFIFAandPES. Meanwhile, Dutch greatEdgar Davids successfully sued Riot Gamesfor his likeness being used for aLeague of Legendsskin.
FIFA 21is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, with the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions coming on December 4th.
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