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How well do you know FIFA 17's cover stars?
Everything you need to know about the players who have replaced Messi as the FIFA 17 cover stars.
How do you replace Messi as the FIFA 17 cover star? Recognised as one of the best players of all time, the Argentinian has won the Ballons d'Or an unprecedented five times, has eight La Liga titles, four Champions League winner's medals, and holds loads of goalscoring records. Which current player can come close? Only Cristiano Ronaldo, and he's been a PES cover star in the past.
So, rather than choosing one player for the FIFA 17 cover, EA has picked four 'football ambassadors' to work with them to bring the 'gameplay innovations' to life. They are Anthony Martial, Eden Hazard, Marco Reus and James Rodríguez, but what have they achieved in their careers, and – more importantly – what are the like in FIFA? Here's everything you need to know about the faces of FIFA 17.
Eden Hazard
FIFA 17 – Eden Hazard
© EA Sports
Age: 25
Club: Chelsea
Country: Belgium
Career highlights
Following their Champions League win in 2012, Chelsea improved their squad when they signed Belgian international forward Eden Hazard from Lille after their Champions League win in 2012. Hazard helped The Blues win the Europa League in his first season at the club, and he was the star player as they won the Premier League under Mourinho in 2014. His efforts were recognised by his fellow professionals as he picked up the PFA Player of the Year award. Like many Chelsea players, his form dipped last season, but he showed he's still got it when he scored a stunning equaliser against Spurs in the penultimate game of the season.
What's he like in FIFA?
Given that he'd just won the PFA Player of the Year award, it was no surprise that Eden Hazard was the highest-rated Premier League player in FIFA 16, ranking at number six in the game's top 50. His amazing pace (90) and dribbling stats (92) helped him reach an 89 overall rating and he has four star skill and weak foot.
Anthony Martial
FIFA 17 - Anthony Martial
© EA Sports
Age: 20
Club: Manchester United
Country: France
Career highlights
Football fans were surprised when Manchester United paid Monaco more than £35m for Anthony Martial on deadline day in September, 2015. However, the forward made an immediate impact, scoring on his debut against rivals Liverpool in a 3-1 victory. He scored two more a week later against Southampton, and ended his first season in style, grabbing the winner in the FA Cup Final against Crystal Palace. Manchester United fans will be hoping that he can form a successful partnership with Marcus Rashford next season.
What's he like in FIFA?
Although Martial played for the Monaco side which beat Arsenal in the Champions League, it's fair to say that he wasn't that well known when he signed for Manchester United just before FIFA 16 launched in September. As a result, his stats aren't as high as his fellow cover stars. His overall rating is 77, but his pace (85) and dribbling (80) are his standout abilities, while his finishing is rated at 78. Could he be due an upgrade for FIFA 17?
James Rodríguez
James Rodríguez is still in the FIFA top 50
© EA Sports
Age: 24
Club: Real Madrid
Country: Colombia
Career highlights
James Rodríguez shot to fame in the 2014 World Cup with a series of great performances for Colombia. Despite his team losing to Brazil in the quarter-final, he finished the tournament with the Golden Boot, and his stunning volley against Uruguay in the second round is one of the best World Cup goals of all time. This prompted Real Madrid to pay Monaco a reported fee of €80m to secure the attacking midfielder. He made 29 appearances in his first season at the Bernabéu, scoring 17 goals, but was an unused substitiute as Real won their 11th European Cup in May 2016.
What's he like in FIFA?
James made it into the FIFA 16 top 50, with his OVR rating of 87 helping the CAM reach 13th in the list. While he's not as pacey as Martial or Hazard, he's rated highly for his creativity with 85 for dribbling and an 84 passing stat. If he does manage to dribble into the area, he can finish, too – his shooting stat is 86, and if the ball should come to him in the air, he has an amazing 91 stat for volleys.
Marco Reus
Marco Reus is FIFA 17's cover star
© EA Sports
Age: 27
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Country: German
Career highlights
The oldest of FIFA 17's four cover stars, Marco Reus is a German international forward renowned for his pace, touch and ability with either foot. As a result, Reus can play on either wing, up front or as an attacking midfielder. In 2011/12, he won the German Footballer of the Year award, scoring 18 goals for Borussia Mönchengladbach to help them qualify for the Champions League. He joined Dortmund in January 2013, where he won the DFL Supercup, and although he scored five goals in six qualification matches for the 2014 World Cup, injury ruled him out of the tournament that Germany would go on to win.
What's he like in FIFA?
Another FIFA 16 top 50 member (he's ranked at 37, just below Wayne Rooney), Reus is rated at 86 overall. As you'd expect, he has incredible pace (90) and a good weak foot rating, while dribbling, shooting and passing are all in the 80s. If his physical attributes were better he'd be ranked even higher.
