Ben Wilson runs through the most impressive mugs in the new game out this week (on Thursday in the UK)...
This season’s virtual title race is as heated as ever, with both FIFA and PES on top form – but where player faces are concerned, EA has the clear edge. Here we run down the game’s best Premier League likenesses.
FIFA 16 has always offered a fine line in realistic-looking kits, but new scanning technology introduced last season enabled creator EA Sports to deliver believable player faces, too. With the majority of Premier League squads scanned over the last 18 months, each top flight side other than Watford and Bournemouth now contains at least 15 players with their correct likeness. Below, we reveal the most realistic on each team.
Arsenal: Francis Coquelin
Coq and Hector Bellerin are easily the pick of the newly scanned Gunners. Not pictured: the inevitable yellow card received 33 seconds later.
Aston Villa: Alan Hutton
The Scot isn’t exactly blessed with Cristiano Ronaldo’s looks, but his in-game likeness is the very definition of ‘ugly beautiful’.
Bournemouth: Artur Boruc
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
The goaltending Pole is a rarity in that he not only has his face scanned, but also his (highly questionable) ‘Addicted To’ neck tattoo.
Chelsea: Kurt Zouma
A winner against Arsenal on Saturday, a FIFA series debut on Thursday – safe to say this has been a week the French defender will long remember.
Crystal Palace: Wilfried Zaha
Bizarrely omitted last year, ‘Wilf’ finally makes it in along with Papa Souare, Wayne Hennessey, and youngster Reise Allassani.
Everton: Arouna Kone
The rejuvenated, peroxide-topped forward joins Ty Browning, Brendan Galloway and Ryan Ledson as one of the Toffees’ fresh FIFA 16 faces.
Leicester: Jamie Vardy
As in real life, the England international striker’s barnet is a combined advert for both Bic razor blades and Brylcreem.
Liverpool: Christian Benteke
Emre Can is among the Reds’ players newly scanned, but even his chiselled effigy isn’t as faultless as the summer signing from Aston Villa.
Manchester City: Bacary Sagna
Arsenal fans might have mocked the Frenchman’s decision to shave his famous locks, but his FIFA 16 avatar is even better as a result.
Manchester United: Paddy McNair
With much of United’s squad included last year, this time out the focus is on its best youngsters – such as McNair, and Celtic loanee Tyler Blackett.
Newcastle: Florian Thauvin
There’s no tuxedo entrance to stadiums, at least not this year – but the Geordies’ new winger looks impeccable on the field of play anyway.
Norwich: John Ruddy
Scanned just before 2014’s relegation, the majority of City’s first XI have their mugshots featured – including Ruddy, Russell Martin and Wes Hoolahan.
Southampton: Graziano Pelle
The matinee-idol quiff, the surgical side-parting – this unmistakable face is sure to be celebrating plenty of goals during virtual matches at St Mary’s.
Stoke: Xherdan Shaqiri
The Potters’ record signing from Inter Milan is accurate right down to his pocket-rocket frame and blonde boy-band tuft.
Sunderland: Costel Pantilimon
Not only is the Romanian netminder’s face spot-on, but EA’s imagery wizards have nailed his gangly, 6ft 8in frame, too.
Swansea: Bafetimbi Gomis
Bafa’s perfect dreads and goal-hungry eyes make him the Swans’ standout – but Jonjo Shelvey and Wayne Routledge also merit honourable mentions.
Tottenham: Harry Kane
Fans hoping to recreate last season’s heroics in FIFA 15 had to do so using a lanky, generic lump; thankfully, that oversight has now been rectified.
Watford: Adlene Guedioura
The Hornets’ promotion came too late for their squad to be scanned, but the Algerian’s likeness was captured while with Crystal Palace last year.
