FC 26 Cover Stars Hit by the 'Madden Curse'?! Injury Woes Plague Bellingham and Musiala
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
EA revealed Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala as the FC 26 cover stars, but both players are facing lengthy injuries, sparking fears of the 'Madden Curse' spreading to soccer. Looks like someone needs to find a cleric, stat!
Right, so EA just dropped the cover stars for FC 26 – Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala, no less! – but there's a bit of a snag. Turns out, both lads are nursing rather nasty injuries. It’s like they angered a particularly grumpy footballing gnome, innit?
According to IGN South Africa, the announcement came with the usual fanfare. Bellingham was chuffed, saying, "It’s really nice to share this moment with Jamal, as a reflection of how far we’ve come.” Musiala echoed the sentiment, excited to share the news with his little brother. Bless 'em.
But here's the kicker: Bellingham's had surgery on a shoulder injury and is expected to be sidelined for up to four months. Ouch. Musiala's in even worse nick, copping a broken leg *and* dislocated ankle at the Club World Cup. He's looking at four to five months out of the game. Bloody hell.
So, what does this mean? Well, FC 26 is slated to launch in September 2025, and both its cover stars are going to be stuck on the sidelines, potentially longer for Musiala. Talk about a marketing nightmare. Suddenly, EA's PR team is probably sweating more than a goblin after a marathon.
Now, some of you might be thinking, "What's the big deal?" Ah, but that’s where the 'Madden Curse' comes in. It's a long-standing fan theory that any athlete who graces the cover of Madden NFL is doomed to suffer a career downturn, usually in the form of an injury or just general crappiness on the field. Remember Christian McCaffrey, the Madden NFL 25 cover star? He ended up on injured reserve shortly after his cover reveal, CBS Sports points out.
While the FC (formerly FIFA) series hasn't quite built up the same reputation for cursing its cover stars (yet!), this double whammy does make you wonder, doesn't it? Is the Madden Curse spreading across the digital sporting world? Is EA now haunted by the ghost of disgruntled footballers?
FC 26 is set to release on September 26, 2025, for pretty much every platform under the sun – PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Amazon Luna, and even both Nintendo Switch consoles. Early access kicks off on September 19 for those who spring for the Ultimate Edition. Let's just hope Bellingham and Musiala are fit enough to virtually kick some arse by then.
Tags: FC 26, Madden Curse, Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala, EA Sports
Original article: IGN South Africa