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Uncover the complete history of FIFA cover stars—every athlete from 1993 to 2022—with images, trivia, and personal reflections on gaming’s iconic faces.
The FIFA cover stars have defined футбол gaming culture for decades. From 1993 to 2022, revisit every iconic athlete and see how these covers mirror the sport’s changing legends.
A Journey Through FIFA’s Cover Stars
There’s something magical about cracking open a new FIFA game and seeing an iconic footballer staring back from the cover. It’s a ritual that’s defined the pulse of football gaming for nearly three decades. When EA dropped the FIFA branding in 2022 and shifted to EA Sports FC, it felt like the end of an era—a bit like saying goodbye to your favorite commentator after years of Saturday matches.
It’s hard to grasp just how massive FIFA became: by 2021, over 325 million copies had been sold. That’s not just a best-selling sports franchise; it’s a cultural institution. The cover stars themselves? They’re football royalty, regional heroes, and sometimes, surprise picks that leave you scratching your head.
Let’s dive into the definitive list of every FIFA cover star, from its pixelated beginnings to its final FIFA-branded outing.
The 1990s: Humble Beginnings and Regional Faces
The earliest FIFA games weren’t afraid to mix things up. EA’s approach was to tailor covers to different regions—meaning you might see David Platt in the UK, but someone entirely different if you picked up a copy in North America or Japan.
FIFA International Soccer (1993)
– David Platt & Piotr Świerczewski (UK / International)
– Alexi Lalas (North America)
– Ruud Gullit, Unknown, Pat Bonner & Paul McGrath (North America, Japanese)
– Lothar Matthäus (Germany)
– “Some hands” (Japanese Super Famicom)
Back then, seeing region-specific covers felt almost like finding a footballing Easter egg. Sometimes you’d pick up a magazine and spot a totally different version—wait, is that Lothar Matthäus on the German box? A neat touch, though a bit confusing for collectors.
FIFA Soccer 95
– Eric Thorstvedt (Europe)
– Alexi Lalas (North America)
FIFA Soccer 96
– Jason McAteer & Frank de Boer (Europe)
– Andy Legg & Ioan Sabau (North America & Japan)
FIFA 97
– David Ginola (Europe)
– Bebeto (Americas, Asia)
FIFA 64
– Jordi Cruyff (North America)
– Bebeto (Europe)
FIFA Road to World Cup 98
– David Beckham (UK)
– Roy Lassiter (North America)
– Paolo Maldini (Italy)
– Andreas Möller (Germany)
– David Ginola (France)
– Raúl (Spain)
– Unique “flame” design (Japan, N64)
FIFA World Cup 98
– The World Cup Trophy (All versions)
FIFA 99
– Dennis Bergkamp, Fabien Barthez, Olaf Thon, Christian Vieri, Rui Costa, Fernando Morientes
– Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan)
Looking back, I’m amazed at how many different stars graced the covers—sometimes you’d barely know who’d show up at your local game shop!
The 2000s: Global Icons and the Start of Superstar Covers
The millennium brought a shift: FIFA started to tap big-name players from across the globe, and for the first time, many of those faces were instantly recognizable no matter where you played.
FIFA 2000
– Sol Campbell, Dovani Roso, Pep Guardiola, Emmanuel Petit, Vincenzo Montella, Jaap Stam, Vasilios Tsiartas, Eddie Pope, Simão Sabrosa, Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan)
FIFA 2001
– Paul Scholes, Thierry Henry, Gaizka Mendieta, Filippo Inzaghi, Lothar Matthäus, C.J. Brown, Ricardo Sá Pinto, Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan)
FIFA 2002
– Thierry Henry, Tomasz Radzinski, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Iker Casillas, Gerald Asamoah, Roberto Carlos, Francesco Totti, Nuno Gomes, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Labros Houtos, Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan)
2002 FIFA World Cup
– Roberto Carlos, Ryan Giggs, Edgar Davids, Landon Donovan, Hidetoshi Nakata
FIFA 2003
– Roberto Carlos, Ryan Giggs, Edgar Davids
FIFA 2004
– Alessandro Del Piero, Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho
FIFA 2005
– Patrick Vieira, Fernando Morientes, Andriy Shevchenko, Oswaldo Sánchez, Freddy Adu
2006 FIFA World Cup
(Image not specified, but likely featured international stars of the time)
FIFA 06
– Wayne Rooney, Ronaldinho, Freddy Adu (North America), Omar Bravo (North America), Lukas Podolski (Germany), Park Chu-Young (South Korea)
FIFA 07
– Wayne Rooney, Ronaldinho, Landon Donovan, Francisco “Kikin” Fonseca, Lukas Podolski, David Villa, Juninho Pernambucano
FIFA 08
– Wayne Rooney, Ronaldinho, Sergio Ramos, Miroslav Klose, Andreas Ivanschitz, Tranquillo Barnetta, Florent Malouda, Franck Ribéry
FIFA 09
– Wayne Rooney, Ronaldinho, Kevin Kurányi, Daniele De Rossi, Richard Dunne, Petr Čech, Franck Ribéry, Karim Benzema, Balázs Dzsudzsák, Ricardo Quaresma, Gonzalo Higuaín, Tranquillo Barnetta, Guillermo Ochoa, Maurice Edu
I’ll admit, my excitement for each new cover waned a bit in the late 2000s—it sometimes felt like the same small group of stars rotated between editions. Still, seeing Ronaldinho or Rooney in a different kit each year had its charm.
The 2010s: Superstars, Global Editions, and a Messi Era
The 2010s brought a new level of polish. Cover selections became more international, and Lionel Messi’s reign as the face of FIFA began—sometimes almost to a fault!
FIFA 10
Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott, Frank Lampard, Tim Cahill, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Ronaldinho, Giorgio Chiellini, Steve Mandanda, Karim Benzema, Guillaume Hoarau, Xavi, Robert Lewandowski, Simão, Balázs Dzsudzsák, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Sacha Kljestan, Fernando Torres
FIFA 11
Wayne Rooney, Kaka, Landon Donovan, Carlos Vela, Tim Cahill, Mesut Özil, Giorgio Chiellini
FIFA 12
Wayne Rooney, Jack Wilshere, Kaka, Philippe Mexès, Karim Benzema, Giampaolo Pazzini, Gerard Piqué, Xabi Alonso, Mats Hummels, Tim Cahill, Valentin Stocker, Vasili Berezutski, Balázs Dzsudzsák
FIFA 13
Lionel Messi (Global), plus regional duos like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain & Joe Hart (UK), Claudio Marchisio (Italy), Karim Benzema (France), Roberto Soldado (Spain), Tim Cahill (Australia)
FIFA 14
Lionel Messi (Global); regional: Gareth Bale, Robert Lewandowski, Tim Cahill, Xherdan Shaqiri, Balázs Dzsudzsák, Stephan El Shaarawy, Maya Yoshida & Makoto Hasebe (Japan), Michal Kadlec, Arturo Vidal, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, David Alaba
FIFA 15
Lionel Messi (Global); with Eden Hazard, Yahya Al-Shehri, Arda Turan, David Alaba, Michal Kadlec, Robert Lewandowski, Atsuto Uchida, Arturo Vidal, Xherdan Shaqiri, Gonzalo Higuain, Javier Hernandez, Tim Cahill, Clint Dempsey (regional editions)
FIFA 16
Lionel Messi (Global), with a host of regional stars including Jordan Henderson, Arda Turan, Mauro Icardi, Yann Sommer, Tim Cahill & Steph Catley, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Oscar, Andy Boyle & Ciaran O’Connor, David Alaba, Arek Milik, Antoine Griezmann, Christine Sinclair, Alex Morgan, Juan Cuadrado, Marco Fabián, Shinji Kagawa
“Marco Reus, Eden Hazard, James Rodríguez and Anthony Martial were announced as the official ambassadors of FIFA 17. After a global cover vote conducted by EA Sports, Reus was selected to be the cover star.”
—EA
FIFA 17
Marco Reus (Worldwide), Tomoaki Makino (Japan)
FIFA 18
Cristiano Ronaldo (All Editions)
FIFA 19
Cristiano Ronaldo (Standard), Neymar, Kevin De Bruyne & Paulo Dybala (Updated Standard), Cristiano Ronaldo & Neymar (Champions Edition)
There’s a certain fatigue that set in during the Messi/Ronaldo years. As much as I respect them, it started to feel repetitive—by FIFA 16, I actually checked the box twice to see if I’d accidentally repurchased last year’s game. Still, for fans of these two, it was the golden age.
The 2020s: Final FIFA Editions and the End of an Era
By the 2020s, FIFA covers became more streamlined, often highlighting single stars or legendary cover trios.
FIFA 20
Eden Hazard (Standard Edition)
Virgil van Dijk (Champions Edition)
Zinedine Zidane (Ultimate Edition)
Strangely, for the last few FIFA releases, the iconic cover star tradition was almost overshadowed by nostalgia for what the brand used to mean. The anticipation was no longer just about who’d be featured, but about how much longer the series could keep reinventing itself. When EA Sports FC 24 finally dropped, it was obvious: the FIFA era was truly over.
Wrapping Up: Which Cover Star Was Your Favorite?
FIFA’s cover stars are more than just box art—they’re snapshots of football history and gaming culture. Whether you remember the wild regional covers of the ‘90s or you’re partial to the Messi years, these athletes defined eras and memories for millions of players. So, which FIFA cover sits at the top of your list? And which overlooked star deserved a spot that never came?
ЧАСТО ЗАДАВАЕМЫЕ ВОПРОСЫ
- How were FIFA cover stars chosen each year?
Typically, EA selected cover athletes based on international popularity, recent achievements, and market appeal in specific regions. - Why were some FIFA covers different by country?
Regional covers allowed EA to spotlight local heroes, making the game more appealing and relevant for fans in each market. - Who appeared on the most FIFA covers?
Lionel Messi stands out with an impressive run during the 2010s, often appearing solo or alongside other stars. - Are the older FIFA games still playable today?
Many older FIFA titles can be played on their original hardware and, in some cases, via emulation—though the rosters and gameplay can feel dated. - Will EA Sports FC continue the cover star tradition?
With FIFA now rebranded as EA Sports FC, fans are eager to see if the tradition of high-profile cover athletes will continue, though only time will tell.
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