After EA’s unique announcement for new Icons in FIFA 19, we finally have the full list. They released one Icon each hour from Wednesday morning for 24 hours. As most of these Icons are recycled from old games, many are upset now that the final list has been revealed. However, most of these Icons are coming back for the better. We now have the variety and choice of the Legends from previous games, as well as the new Icons such as Ronaldinho, who was introduced last year.
The final batch of Icons that are confirmed for FIFA 19 mostly contain recycled items from previous games. However, there are one or two items that you should keep an eye out for.
Franco Baresi
Baresi was an Italian center-back, who only played for AC Milan. During his career, he made 531 appearances for Milan from 1977-1997. This is truly magnificent and is a huge reason for him receiving this Icon card.
He was featured in previous games but wasn’t used in competitive play. However, now that he has three different cards in the game, you will be sure to see at least one of these cards when playing some of the unique teams that you come across in Ultimate Team.
Fernando Hierro
Hierro was a center back who succeeded with Real Madrid and the Spanish national team through the ’90s and 2000s. His 439 appearances for Madrid saw him score over 100 goals, which is astonishing for a defender. This is the reason that he cemented his legacy as an Icon among Madridstas and Spanish fans.
He was also featured in previous editions of FUT. Whilst being used a large amount in FIFA 16, he may not be utilized in the same way in the upcoming title. However, we will have to wait and see, as the gameplay type will determine which players are great.
Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker was one of the great English strikers in his prime. The Englishman is an iconic player among Leicester City supporters, where he spent nearly 200 games, scoring 95 goals. Lineker also showed off his talents at Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur. He was also a huge talent for the England national squad during the late ’80s through to the ’90s.
He was featured in FIFA 17 but was removed at the start of FIFA 18 due to licensing issues. However, he did return in the World Cup add-on for FIFA 18. I personally used him in this mode, and I found him to be extremely prolific in front of goal. He is sure to deliver similar performances in the new game.
Bobby Moore
It is great to see an English national hero being featured in the new game. Bobby Moore famously lifted England’s one-and-only World Cup back in 1966. This alone cemented his legacy as being one of the greatest English footballers of all time. However, he was also known for playing over 500 games at West Ham.
Bobby Moore was featured in previous FIFA titles. As he returns to the new game, we are unlikely to see his cards feature in competitive play. This is due to the lack of pace; however, he may be a good card for the unique teams in Ultimate Team. I would certainly love to try out this item.
David Trezuguet
David Trezuguet was a French striker who always had an eye for goal. His presence was certainly felt when he played against opposition during his reign at Juventus. In addition to this, his pace, power, and intelligence allowed him to become a prolific striker for the French national squad.
This player is brand new to FIFA. Judging by his stats, we are unlikely to see Trezuguet featured in competitive play due to his lack of pace and physicality in the game. EA have missed the mark on this card, in my opinion. He should have a lot more power and pace. However, his shot is magnificent on each of his items.
Sol Campbell
Another player who was included in Arsenal’s invincible squad makes it into the Icon list. Sol Campbell was an instrumental part of Arsenal’s undefeated season in the 2000s but was also well known for making over 200 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal’s main rivals. Nevertheless, he made 73 appearances for the England national team. This ensured that he was a player to remember.
Campbell was featured in previous editions of FIFA. His pace and power in the game made him one of the most over-powered defenders. We will be sure to see more of this in the FIFA 19 competitive season.
Hidetoshi Nakata
Nakata was a Japanese striker who was prolific and creative in his play. He was honored during his career for the numerous Italian clubs that he served. This made him well known throughout the European scene.
He was featured in the FIFA 18 World Cup add-on. However, his card was hardly used due to the poor statistics across the board. This is likely to be the case in FIFA 19 too.
Juan Sebastian Veron
Finally, Veron completes the list for the FIFA 19 Icons. Veron was well known for playing at Manchester United during his prime. He was a versatile midfielder who could control play wherever he was on the pitch.
He was featured in FIFA 17 but was removed after just one year in the game. The Argentine was not widely used; however, his new card has some enticing statistics. This may come in handy for players who like to have a controlling style of play.
The Icon list for FIFA 19 is long but good. The high amount of Icon items means that they will come at a cheaper price to players who do not spend real money on the game. Players such as Paul Scholes, Nakata, and Roy Keane will be great players that are highly accessible to everyone. A final note to mention is that all of these Icons have three different cards. These cards represent different times in their careers. This means that there are over 200 Icon items in FIFA 19!
What do you think about this long list of Icons? Which ones will you be picking up in FIFA 19? We’d love to hear from you. Also, there were two previous parts to this article. Check them out in the FIFA archives here.
Published: Sep 6, 2018 11:47 am