EA Sports FC 24 might be ditching the FIFA license for good, but the team at Electronic Arts is still keeping many of the same modes and features that players love. One of these is the Icons and Heroes that are released each year in Ultimate Team. These players represent the best and the brightest of the soccer world and EA adds new ones each season. EA FC 24 is no different as the game is already confirmed to have several new players joining the ranks of each distinction, with five Heroes already officially confirmed. More will be added as get closer to EA Sports FC 24‘s September 29 release date, and this slideshow will be updated to reflect those changes.ย
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Last year was the first time we’ve seen Heroes in EA Sports FC (formerly FIFA). Unlike Icons who are generally world-famous players that excelled at all levels, Heroes are generally only famous for either their performance for their country or what they did at one or two clubs during their career. The two types of players also have differing chemistry bonuses in Ultimate Team, with Icons giving chemistry to anyone from the same country as them and Heroes giving a boost to players from the same league. There are rumors that could change in the future, but those have yet to be confirmed by EA. For now, here are all of the new Icons and Heroes coming to EA FC 24.
DaMarcus Beasley – Hero
DaMarcus Beasley broke out alongside Landon Donovan in the U-17 World Cup before starting up a lengthy career in the MLS and around the world. However, it’s his time with the USMNT that he’s best remembered for, becoming the only U.S. man to play in four World Cups after making the squad in 2014.ย
Steve McManaman – Hero
Steven McManaman starred at Liverpool throughout the 90s, becoming the fifth-youngest player to 100 assists in the Premier League. He’d then go on to spend four seasons with Real Madrid, winning La Liga and the Champions League twice each as one of Madrid’s first galรกcticos.
Ramires – Hero
Ramires locked down the midfield for Chelsea during the mid-2010s. The box-to-box midfielder was well-known for his pace and incredible work-rate, helping The Blues win the Premier League in 2014-15 and Champions League in 2011-12. While not as technically skilled as some of the more famous Brazilians from his era, Ramires more than held his own all over the field.
Vincent Kompany – Hero
Vincent Kompany had a career at Manchester City that was as long as it was successful. The center-back helped City to four Premier League titles and two FA Cups, while also being the leader of the backline for Belgium’s third-place win in the 2018 World Cup. Long regarded as one of the best defenders in the world, he’s now started up a successful managerial career, leading Burnley back into the Premier League during his first season with the club.
Paulo Futre – Hero
Paulo Futre made his name at Porto before spending the majority of his career bombing down the wings for Atletico Madrid. He used that prodigious pace and his exceptional technical skill to fire in assists to Madrid’s strikers. Unfortunately, his career was eventually cut short by injuries, but his early skill made him a favorite.
Rui Costa – Hero
Rui Costa was previously an Icon but has been made a Hero for EA FC 24. The Portuguese player excelled just about everywhere that he played, but it’s like his time at Fiorentina that he’s best known for, though he also had a stellar run for a loaded AC Milan side in the early 2000s. The classic number 10 was one of the best play-makers in the game during his time, dominating for club and country.
Jari Litmanen – Hero
Jari Litmanen has previously been an Icon in previous FIFA games but has switched over to being a Hero for EA FC 24. The star forward is certainly a hero for both Ajax and the Finnish national team, putting the goal in the net over one hundred times between the two. While he wasn’t able to quite replicate that success at Barcelona or Liverpool, it doesn’t take away from his considerable accomplishments.
Sonia Bompastor – Hero
Sonia Bompastor was a staple in the Lyon and Montpellier midfield during the 200s and a permanent fixture on the French national team. During her career, she helped her clubs win eight Division 1 Feminine Championships and won UNFP Female Player of the Year twice. She’s continued that success into her managerial career where she’s helped turn Lyon into one of the best women’s club teams in the world.
Dimitar Berbatov – Hero
Dimitar Berbatov was almost always the calmest man on the pitch. That trait and his considerable height made him both a great goal-scorer and creator when used as a playmaker up top. While he certainly played well at times during his Premier League runs (particularly with Manchester United), it was his time at Bayer Leverkusen that made the Bulgarian a fan favorite.
Ludovic Giuly – Hero
Ludovic Giuly dominated the wings for several French teams during his long run, spending time at Lyon, Monaco, and Paris Saint-Germain. He’d also have shorter stints at Barcelona and Roma, winning silverware at just about every stop. Monoaco though, is where Giuly would play his best soccer, bagging the Etoile d’Or in 2002-03 for the best player in Ligue 1 that season.
Nadine Keรler – Hero
Nadine Keรler was the engine behind Germany’s success in various UEFA championships during the late 2000s and early 2010s. While never able to replicate that success on the larger stages of the World Cup or Olympics, she did help the team capture the Gold Medal in the 2013 UEFA Women’s Championship. She also helped her club team Wolfsburg win back-to-back Bundesliga championships in 2009-10 and 2010-11, as well as a Women’s Champions League in 2009-10.
John Arne Riise – Hero
John Arne Riise spent the bulk of his career playing for Liverpool where he was once quoted as saying, “Cowards give up” in response to a few seasons saying the season was unsalvagable after a run of poor games. The left-back used his prodigious stamina and powerful kick to drive the attack even from the back. At Liverpool, he was able to help the club win one Champions League and FA Cup apiece.
Tomรกลก Rosickรฝ – Hero
Tomรกลก Rosickรฝ dominated the midfield for Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal, earning 372 caps during his career. Arsenal boss Arsรจne Wenger described him as having “great technique, skill on the ball, and sharp passing,” helping make him a key cog in Arsenal’s FA Cup win in 2013-14. He was also known for his skill at using the outside of his foot to create unexpected goal-scoring opportunities, which should come in handy in Ultimate Team.
Nwankwo Kanu – Hero
The Nigerian-born Nwankwo Kanu is easy to spot on a soccer field. The former Arsenal forward stands above just about everyone else at 6’6″, and he used that size to put in over 100 goals during a career that spanned nearly two decades. His early days at Ajzx stand out as his most dominant run of form, but he was truly a fan favorite at the Emirates, helping the team win the Premier League and FA Cup twice.
Alex Scott – Hero
Alex Scott held down the right-back spot for the England national team for years, helping lead the team to a Bronze Medal in the 2015 Women’s World Cup. She also had an accomplished career with Arsenal’s women’s side, helping the team to win seven FA Cups during her career. However, her career might be most notable for what she’s done off the field as one of the premier soccer pundits over the last decade for BBC Sports.
Gianluca Vialli – Hero
Gianluca Vialli carved out a career as a top striker in the Italian leagues, starting his career with Cremonese in Serie C1. He’d help the team gain promotion before signing with Sampdoria to form one of the most prolific striker partnerships of the 1980s with Roberto Mancini. Eventually, Vialli would move to Juventus for a world-record transfer fee and help the team win the Champions League in 1995-96 along with several other accomplishments. He’d then move to Chelsea to end his career, but it was his time with Sampdoria that is probably most fondly remembered.
Carlos Tevez – Hero
All Carlos Tevez has done during his career is score goals for club and country. The Argentinian dynamo has plied his trade for Corinthians, West Ham United, Manchester City, Juventus, and Boca Juniors, always being a threat regardless of who he was paired with. Above all else though, it was his unmatched will that made him such a standout player on the pitch, always putting in more effort than any other player on the field in his quest to win.
Wesley Sneijder – Hero
Wesley Sneijder is one of the premier attacking midfielders of his generation, playing well in just about every league across Europe. That said, the Ajax product is probably best known for his time at either his original club or his late-career dominance at Galatasaray. Either way, his play for both club and country made him a fan favorite no matter which jersey he slipped on.
Bixenta Lizarazu – Hero
Bixente Lizarazu made a career as a dominant left-back for Bordeaux and Bayern Munich. Despite playing what is generally regarded as a defensive position, Lizarazu was known to come forward often, using his pace and crossing ability to generate chances for his squad. That said, he was far from a defensive liability, using that same speed to deftly track back and interrupt many an attack.
Mia Hamm – Icon
Mia Hamm hasn’t been officially announced by EA Sports, but we did see her in the announcement trailer, taking the field from current Icon Luis Figo. Hamm is likely the best player in United States women’s history, helping the USWNT to two Gold Medals in the Women’s World Cup and two more in the Olympics. She helped put the women’s game on the map in the 1990s, so it’s no surprise to see her popping up as an Icon with this being the first time men and women can both play in the same squad in Ultimate Team.
The Rest of the Class of 24 Icons
Unlike the Heroes, EA Sports hasn’t dropped in-depth looks at the new Icons outside of Mia Hamm. That said, EA did finally unveil the other seven Icons just days before EA Sports FC 24 goes live. Here is the rest of the Class of 24 Icons:
- CAM Bobby Charlton
- ST Birgit Prinz
- CAM Zico
- CM Homare Sawa
- CM Camille Abily
- ST Kelly Smith
- LM Franck Ribรฉry
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