Fans Are Voting For The FIFA 23 Cover Star, A Surprise Name Is Leading The Way

Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez is leading the way in a FIFA 23 cover star vote.

Every year FIFPlay, a FIFA fan site, hold an annual poll to find out just who gamers want to be gracing the front of the next EA Sports' franchise game.

This year's game will be the final under the FIFA banner as the long-term partnership comes to an end. That makes FIFA 23 a historic game and one that needs a seriously big name as the cover star.

And at the moment, it seems a lot of fans want Mahrez front and centre.

The Algeria captain has just come off his best goalscoring season, hitting 24 in all competitions as Manchester City retained the Premier League crown.

Image: PA

On the poll, which has just over 29,000 votes at the time of writing, Mahrez has received 35% per cent (10,187).

Second to Mahrez is Liverpool star Mo Salah, who has accrued 21%,(6,047) of the votes.

Legendary pair and former cover stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are in third and fourth on 3,188 and 1,922 votes respectively.

Image: PA

New City frontman Erling Haaland has grown into one of the biggest names in football and he completes the top six on 855 votes - just after Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich on 1,418.

Kylian Mbappe has been the FIFA cover star for the past two years but the Frenchman, fresh from signing a new lucrative extension with Paris-Saint Germain has only had 750 votes.

The full, diverse breakdown of the votes can be found here:

Image: FIFplay

Image: FIFplay

Image: FIFplay

Image: FIFplay

Image: FIFplay

It's worth noting that this poll will have no bearing on who EA Sports will have as their final FIFA cover star.

The game will be known as 'EA Sports FC' going forward, although will still retain exclusive licences and partnerships in the "exciting new era".