EA Sports Announce 'Icons: The FUT 100' For FIFA 21 Ultimate Team

EA Sports have announced a brand-new inclusion to FIFA 21's Ultimate Team mode - 'Icons: The FUT 100.'

Icon cards have been a staple of the FIFA series since their introduction in FIFA 16 and fans are always eager for new legends.

This year will see 100 icons for the first time ever and a number of huge names have joined the roster.

Xavi Hernandez is a card many will want to try while Premier League stalwarts Nemanja Vidic, Fernando Torres and Ashley Cole also join the roster.

German duo Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm are included as well as Samuel Eto'o.

EA Sports have stated: "Create your dream squad as a combination of today's superstars and footballing giants of the past like Eric Cantona, Xavi, and Philipp Lahm joining Pele, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Ronaldo Nazario, Zinedine Zidane and more to make up the prestigious FUT 100."

Check out the full list of new icons below:

Eric Cantona

Petr Cech

Ashley Cole

Samuel Eto'o

Philipp Lahm

Ferenc Puskas

Bastian Schweinsteiger

Fernando Torres

Nemanja Vidic

Xavi

It was revealed earlier this month that FIFA 21 will have reduced amounts of replays as well as less 'toxic' celebrations, such as the 'shushing' motion.

The 'Shush' and 'A-OK' celebrations are no more (although Kylian Mbappe's cry-baby celebration has been added) - while it's said the gaming giant are looking to make even more amendments in the new future.

In addition, they have removed the walk-back cinematic after a goal is scored in online games and made reductions to the amount of time allocated for celebrations and waiting for set-pieces.

Previously set-pieces such as goal-kicks and corners would take 30 seconds but that has been halved down to 15 - with the same trimming occurring in penalties.

The wait for kick-off to be taken is now down to 10 seconds, with throw-ins cut to 12 and free-kicks reduced to 20 seconds.

We all know there's nothing worse than conceding a sweaty goal and then being made to watch all 25 replays - though that too is being altered in a change gameplay producer Sam Rivera feels will make a huge difference in FIFA 21.

Explaining the recent removal and reductions, he told SPORTbible: "There are people who play a lot of matches in the weekend and they need to complete 30 matches in a certain amount of time.

"We really felt like there were instances where if we're giving you an experience, it has to be smooth and it has to be to the point. I just want to come here and play; that's what the game is for.

"...The game flow is so important and we need to keep it as short as possible. I play a lot of FIFA and for years I've felt we needed to trim this animation down so you don't have 15 seconds of celebration plus ten replays.

"We're now at a point where you have time to celebrate, which is part of football and that's what we want, and then you watch one replay of the goal and you're back into play.

"It's a change the hardcore community are going to appreciate a lot."

Topics: gaming news, Football News, GAMING, Football, FIFA, FIFA 21

Daniel Marland

Daniel is a journalist for SPORTbible and he has previous experience with Manchester United. He has spoken to some of the biggest names in sport including Rio Ferdinand, Peter Crouch, WWE COO Triple H and WWE legend The Undertaker. May or may not do a decent impression of Jamie Carragher.

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