Last week, EA Sports announced Brazilian footballerKakáas the global cover athlete forFIFA 11, and noted that 17 other soccer stars would join him in specific regions. Today, EA has revealed the North American cover athletes for the game: Carlos Vela (of Arsenal F.C. and the Mexico national football team), and Landon Donovan (of Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy and the US Men’s National Team). you’re able to check out the full PS3 box art in the gallery below.
Donovan single-handedly awakened American interest in soccer with his stellar performance in this summer’s World Cup, including a thrilling, stoppage-time, Group-C-winning goal against Algeria that has gone down as the best moment in US men’s international soccer thus far. (Aside: Watchthis videoof the world’s reaction to Donovan’s goal. Idareyou not to get chills or have tears well up in your eyes. It’s beautiful.) This marks Donovan’s third appearance on the cover of aFIFA Soccergame; he was also on the North American boxes ofFIFA Soccer 2003andFIFA Soccer 07.
Putting Donovan on the box is a smart move by EA — Americans have already stopped caring about soccer, but those who watched the World Cup won’t soon forget Donovan’s heroics, and they’ll hopefully be reminded of his goals when they see him on the box forFIFA 11when it launches on September 28th in North America for PS3, 360, Wii, PC, PSP, PS2, DS, and mobile platforms. (The game will launch on October 1st in Europe and Asia.)
