Jamal Musiala and Jude Bellingham named EA FC 26 cover stars as former England roommates reunite

Musiala and Bellingham, who roomed together in the England youth ranks before Musiala switched allegiance to Germany, have been unveiled as the joint-cover stars of EA FC 26 ahead of the release of the game later this year. While the release date has not yet been confirmed, the cover athletes now have; Zlatan Ibrahimovic graces the Icon edition. The inclusion of Musiala means that Bayern Munich have returned to EA's licencing stable, having previously been on the books with Konami and eFootball.

As a result of Bayern's return, fans will once again be able to play matches in the iconic Allianz Arena. The image released shows Bellingham and Musiala emerging from a tunnel, flanked by cheering fans on both sides, although the Bayern star is currently out with a broken leg sustained in the Club World Cup, and faces a lengthy lay-off. Nevertheless, he has explained his delight at being trusted to front one of the most successful video games on the market.

Musiala told The Athletic: “Growing up, I’d see my idols on the cover. It seemed impossible to think that one day I’d be in their position.

“I’d play the game with my friends, my dad and my sister. These players — Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo — were untouchable in my eyes. I’d watch their skills, then go out to the garden or the park, dribbling through cones, seeing what I could learn from them. So this is a big moment for me, a dream come true.”

Bellingham added to EA SPORTS: “From those early days playing together, to now being on the biggest stage, it’s been an incredible journey. Being on the FC cover last year was a massive achievement, and to be alongside Jamal this year — that’s something I’ll never take for granted.”

Julien Lanfrey, athlete marketing director at EA SPORTS, has wished Musiala well in his recovery from injury, with the Bayern star expected to be out for at least a few months. “Jamal is an incredibly talented player and has a huge future ahead of him, which is just one of the many reasons he was chosen to feature on our cover,” Lanfrey told The Athletic. “We’re excited to see him back on the pitch as soon as possible and wish him a full and speedy recovery.”