If the excessive branding is a bit of a turn-off, it’s also quite authentic. The Journey also represents the fripperies of the modern game well, as you’d expect – from post-match interviews with dialogue responses that can affect your standing with your manager, teammates, and supporters, to a choice of branded boots for your first sponsorship deal. It’s sentimental, but appropriately so – football fans seem especially prone to outbursts of emotion, from full-blown weeping at relegations to misty-eyed reminiscences of “the good old days”. As he slotted in his third goal the crowd began chanting his name before launching into a full-throated version of Hymns and Arias, and I’m not too proud to say I got a little choked up. When Swansea, my chosen team, finally gave him his chance, I was determined that Hunter (and I) would take it – and we did.
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Naturally, this only made me all the more determined to succeed.Īs someone who has been horrified by the steady marginalisation of this great football institution, Hunter’s passion for the FA Cup (driven by a family legacy, as per sports movie tradition) struck a powerful chord with me, and I shared his frustration at being considered too young to feature in a blood-and-thunder cup tie. Still, the setbacks and insults sting – on his debut as a substitute the opposition fans taunt him with a chant of “who are ya?” while you’ll attract social media criticism from supporters and fellow professionals (at one stage, an embittered ex-teammate hashtags you as a #benchwarmer). The story of likeable 17-year-old Alex Hunter and his rise from unvarnished academy product to bright young starlet follows a conventional path – not quite rags to riches, but close – though it’s affectingly told, even if FIFA 17’s PEGI rating ensures that it’s a rather airbrushed take on the modern game. It’s not easy to find ways to surprise people in an annualised game, but this is a very pleasant one. Perhaps more importantly, it’s a welcome reminder of the personal stories at the heart of a sport (and a series) that, in recent times, has felt more concerned with its corporate identity.
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It’s a microcosm of everything that’s good and bad about FIFA – peerless presentation surrounding a match engine that’s an improvement on last year, but still needs work – and yet it’s the most fun I’ve had with the series for a good few seasons. Voting is open now on the FIFA 17 website and closes on July 20, so you'd better be quick if you want to have your vote registered.FIFA 17’s headline feature is The Journey, a story about a prodigious young talent attempting to make a name for himself in the Premier League. They also happen to be global ambassadors for FIFA 17. Related: FIFA 17 is getting a story mode and here's why The four players have been chosen because they're all known for their attacking style of play, which fits right in with the focus of the new FIFA 17 story mode known as The Journey. However, the official FIFA 17 cover star poll only has four options: Manchester United's Anthony Martial, Chelsea's Eden Hazard, Real Madrid's James Rodriguez and Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus. When Digital Spy asked readers who they wanted to be on the FIFA 17 cover, the voting came out very strongly in the Leicester player's favour. Related: FIFA 17 preview - 5 features that make this the most realistic FIFA ever Our dream has come true (or at least one of them has) - EA Sports just announced you'll be able to vote for your very own FIFA 17 cover star.Īlthough, sadly, there won't be another celebratory party for Jamie Vardy this time.