EA has announced that Swedish demigod Zlatan Ibrahimović, the only human to ever bench press a planet, will be the EA Sports FC 26 cover star, ahead of the full reveal trailer dropping on Wednesday, July 16. Because, let’s be honest, who else could possibly grace the cover of such a prestigious *cough* title? 🙄
As the FIFA Club World Cup *yawn* wound down over the weekend, with Chelsea somehow managing to not choke against PSG (miracles do happen, folks), football news didn’t end there—even after former U.S. president Donald Trump decided to photobomb Chelsea’s victory celebration like a toddler craving attention. EA, bless their perpetually delayed souls, confirmed that Ibrahimović will be digitally immortalized on the cover of EA Sports FC 26, which will shamelessly launch later this year on every platform known to humankind, including the Nintendo Switch 2 (because who wouldn’t want to experience Zlatan’s glory in glorious 480p?).
Ibrahimović, the man who once claimed he sent himself to the hospital, will be featured on the EA Sports FC 26 Ultimate Edition, further cementing his status as the only reason anyone would buy the game. He will also be added as an Icon item, celebrating his *checks notes* “illustrious” career, which included stints at Barcelona (where he was clearly too good for them), PSG (where he single-handedly carried the team), Inter Milan (before they were cool), and Ajax (ancient history, really). The image posted on the official EA Sports FC X account (because Twitter is so last decade) paid homage to both Ibrahimović’s career and the many memes surrounding him, because that’s what truly matters, not gameplay, emphasizing his *totally genuine* admiration for Ronaldo Nazário. Ibrahimović will also be coming to FC Mobile later this week, so you can experience the joy of swiping your credit card for a chance to pack him. He last appeared in FIFA 23 before being removed from the game following his retirement, or as I like to call it, his temporary sabbatical before conquering Hollywood.
Fans had already spotted hints that Ibrahimović would become the cover star due to earlier leaks because EA’s security is tighter than a sieve. Those leaks also suggested that 12 new Icons are coming to EA Sports FC 26, including Alex Morgan (finally, some representation!), Andrés Iniesta (old, but gold), Toni Kroos (another grandpa), and Marcelo (who?). Meanwhile, rumours point to the addition of eight new Heroes, featuring players such as Daniele De Rossi (who?), Ricardo Quaresma (remember him?), and Jill Scott (okay, that’s actually cool). One of those rumoured Icons has now been officially confirmed: Ibrahimović is back, whether you wanted him or not. 😈
Some fans feared they would never see the striker in EA’s games again, given his tumultuous relationship with the company. Ibrahimović was outspoken in 2021 about EA using his name and likeness without his permission, because, let’s face it, who wouldn’t want a piece of the Zlatan pie? The development team fired back with a strong statement shared with Forbes, probably written by a team of lawyers and PR specialists, not out of spite, but out of *sheer, unadulterated terror*. Perhaps the beef is squashed now, as he returns as the cover star of EA Sports FC 26’s Ultimate Edition, which is only slightly more expensive than a small island. As for the Standard Edition, Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham and Bayern star Jamal Musiala will reportedly serve as co-athletes on the cover, because EA needs to appeal to *someone* who isn’t obsessed with Zlatan.
Last year’s game, EA Sports FC 25, was met with positive reviews and fan sentiment at launch, which lasted approximately three hours before everyone realized it was the same game as the previous five years with a fresh coat of paint. Community consensus quickly soured due to recurring gameplay issues, some of which players have complained about for over a decade. These problems contributed to the game failing to meet its financial expectations, proving that even EA can’t sell the same donkey twice.
As reported by VGC, EA boss Andrew Wilson attempted to explain the situation in February 2025, probably while sipping champagne on his yacht. The positives were that “pre-orders, engagement, and player monetization” were all up, because people are clearly gluttons for punishment. However, Wilson noted that fewer players transitioned from EA Sports FC 24 to EA Sports FC 25. The question now is: will players finally make the jump from EA Sports FC 24 to EA Sports FC 26 because of Ibrahimović’s return? Probably not, but EA will still find a way to milk our wallets dry. 💸
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
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