Zlatan Ibrahimovic took to Twitter to aim at EA Sports for using his name and likeness in their new FIFA 21. The Swedish footballing, self-proclaimed 'god' is known for his eccentric and chaotic behavior, on and off the pitch.
"Who gave FIFA EA Sports permission to use my name and face? @FIFPro? I'm not aware to be a member of Fifpro and if I am I was put there without any real knowledge through some weird maneuver. And for sure I never allowed @FIFAcom or Fifpro to make money using me," he tweeted.
Ironically, Ibra appeared in an interview with EA praising the franchise. Back in FIFA 17, during his time with Manchester United, the Swede became one of the game's faces after winning a Player of the Month award in December 2016.
"I play with my children and they are big fans of the game. We play as different teams and with different players," he told EA.
Fellow football stars, including Gareth Bale, Real Madrid's loanee at Tottenham Hotspurs, amened Ibra's statement. The explosive winger weighed in the debate saying, "@Ibra_official Interesting... what is @FIFPro? #TimeToInvestigate."
Interestingly, Bale was the cover star in the UK and Ireland edition of FIFA 14 alongside FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi.
Ibracadabra vows to investigate the matter, as he's a marketable, high-profile player. Every year, EA always releases his FIFA Ultimate Team special card with upgraded pace, and it's a shame if players won't be able to play as one of the greats. Let's hope both parties find a peaceful solution.
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License Problems
Licensing has always been a problem for football games. FIFA dominated the genre, but Konami's Pro Evolution Series is heading for a slow return.
For clubs' logos and kits, EA Sports has to obtain a special license from prospective clubs and leagues-Juventus as 'Piemonte Calcio' and AS Roma as 'Roma FC' are examples of how EA lost its claim to its competitor.
FIFPro is a worldwide organization that represents over 65,000 football players all over the planet. Although Ibra claimed to have zero participation with the organization, the Swede won a FIFPro World XI spot back in 2013. He finished the fourth for the FIFA Ballon d'Or later.
Polarizing Reception
The FIFA series has been on a vicious downhill for years. Even though this year's edition managed to bring some of the world's best youngsters, like Kylian Mbappe, Joao Felix, and Erling Haaland, it's not enough to save the game from humiliation.
FIFA 21 is available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch.
