EA Sports Introduces Ballon d’Or in Football Sim Ahead of 2023 Awards Battle Between Messi, Haaland

• The Ballon d'Or will be added to the career mode of the new EA Sports football video game
• EA is set to fly solo after ending its license agreement with the world governing body FIFA
• Lionel Messi will receive competition from the cover star Erling Haaland for the 2023 award

EA Sports have continued to unveil more details about their new football simulator after ending their partnership with FIFA. The firm is set to launch a new football video game christened 'EA Sports FC 24'.

It will be the first game that won't bear the FIFA name after the companies decided to go separate ways last year.

As a result, fans can expect new and improved features in the new game, which is most likely to be launched in September or early October.

The official date and prices are yet to be unveiled, but speculation is rife the timelines will be the same as when EA was partnering with FIFA.

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Football

EA adds Ballon d'Or ceremony

Among the new features of the new game, fans will now have the thrill of 'playing' the Ballon d'Or ceremony in career mode. As GOAL reports, the awards will take place at the end of the season.

The Daily Star adds the Saudi Pro League will also be introduced, just like in FIFA 23, following the influx of top-rated players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema into the league.

Manchester City and Norway star, Erling Haaland, will be the cover star of EA Sports FC 24, taking over from Kylian Mbappe and Sam Kerr.

Updated Ballon d'Or rankings

Sports Brief had earlier reported that the UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul marked the end of the 2022/2023 European football season.

It was a gruelling period for all those involved, featuring a packed schedule that also saw all leagues take a lengthy break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The Mundial and the Champions League will be crucial in determining who will win the Ballon d'Or, with Haaland and Messi the favourites for this year.