26: FIFA 2000
The unfortunate shape of the original Playstation boxes meant that there wasn’t much leeway with size and spacing, which is why I find the decision to feature a close-up of this man and then hide half of him behind the huge logo so perplexing. I think the expression on his face almost perfectly matches my own upon looking at this cover, but there’s still something intriguing about it. It’s almost as if he has stared into the abyss itself, and what stared back shook him to his very core. Just look at those eyes, what has he seen?
25: FIFA 20
I like the background colour, but it’s just a bust of a man pointing at his shirt. Again, I’m a complete non-fan so I’m completely oblivious to the significance of the player or the emblem he’s pointing at. I don’t even have a lot to say about this one because there’s not much going on. You could just post a photo of an old woman at a bus stop and it would be just as interesting.
24: FIFA 10
Screaming Rooney is back, along with two screaming friends! I’m usually fond of the screamer covers because I enjoy the positive energy, but there’s something about Rooney’s expression on this one that makes me uncomfortable. It’s neither a scream of joy nor a scream of anguish, it’s a scream of…something between, and I find it unsettling. The sooner I can move on from this one the better.
23: FIFA 19
It’s just Ronaldo running against a plain blue background. While I appreciate the use of blue since it’s my favourite colour, this cover just doesn’t do it for me. The shadow behind him is pretty cool, maybe it’s meant to emphasise how he is trying to escape his own shadow and challenge himself. Spider-Man 3 established that the greatest battle lies within so I think this cover does a fairly decent job at portraying that message. Sooner or later, Ronaldo is going to have to confront his darker self. The conquistadores spilled so much blood at the altars. Was it worth it for immortality?
