The story began in 1993 with . What started as a simple football simulation has since evolved into EA FC—the world’s most popular soccer video game franchise, known to most fans for years simply as .
Over the decades, players have been able to step into the boots of their favorite stars, guide clubs to glory in Career Mode, or test their squad-building skills in the hugely popular Ultimate Team. Each yearly release has brought sharper gameplay, updated rosters, and new features to keep the experience fresh.
The covers, though, have always been just as iconic.
More than just packaging, the chosen athlete is a reflection of football’s biggest stars at the time. From Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney, to Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and more recently Kylian Mbappé, the series’ cover stars have told their own story of the sport’s evolution.
Here’s a look back at every cover athlete throughout the history of the franchise—focusing on the main stars for European and international releases, rather than the alternative covers that appeared in select regions.
