“The future of football” – EA Sports reveals major Erling Haaland and Manchester City decision

The decision to make Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland the cover star of EA Sports FC 2024 has been explained.

The 23-year-old was announced as the cover star for the new-look 2024 edition of the famous video game last year, replacing Kylian Mbappe and Sam Kerr as the front cover of EA Sports FC.

Haaland became the latest footballing star to be named as the game’s front cover, following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney.

The Norwegian enjoyed an incredible debut campaign at the Etihad Stadium, having moved to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in a £51 million move in July 2022.

Haaland smashed a series of long-standing Premier League records during his maiden campaign in England, helping Pep Guardiola’s side lift an historic treble – winning the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and Emirates FA Cup.

The striker scored 52 goals in 53 appearances last season, and has scored 29 goals in 34 appearances so far during the current campaign.

Haaland, who has scored eight hat-tricks and netted against 31 different opponents to date, was forced to miss a number of weeks of the current season due to injury, including Manchester City’s FIFA Club World Cup campaign.

The Norwegian has won a number of personal accolades alongside silverware with Manchester City, and following an empathic first year at the Etihad Stadium, senior marketing director for EA Sports FC has explained why Haaland was selected as the game’s cover star.

“Erling Haaland represents the future of football and embodies a huge amount of the values that we would like to think hold very true to what EA Sports FC 24 stands for,” James Salmon told the Footballco Business Podcast.

“He’s off the back of a historic treble; Manchester City going out there and having an incredible season. And over the last 12 months, I’d argue he’s probably been the best player on the planet.

“Authenticity is all of that IP that fans have known to expect to be in our ecosystem. The 19,000 players, 700 clubs, 30-plus leagues and federations all of that licensing prowess would exist within our ecosystem.

“The cover is one demonstration of that. Haaland is on the cover on a UEFA Champions League match night wearing a Manchester City kit.”