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Electronic Arts took a tried-and-true method for the North American cover for 'FIFA 10', choosing something old and something new ... and, well, something Frank Lampard.EA selected a pair of MLS stars -- Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Sacha Kljestan -- to flank the Chelsea midfielder for the game's cover. This is a tactic the company has used in the past, with a Mexican and American player sharing the cover spotlight with an established world star like Ronaldinho and Wayne Rooney.
Blanco, even at the ripe old age of 36, makes sense for the cover since he's recognized on both sides of the Rio Grande, though in Mexico he's considered an icon to many while in the U.S. he's mainly a pantomime villain. For Blanco fans, he's not wearing the famous green jersey of the Mexican national team, or the famous yellow of Club America, but the slightly less iconic red of the Chicago Fire, his current employer which is a nice coup for MLS.
On the other edge of the box is American midfielder Sacha Kljestan of Chivas USA. Choosing Kljestan seems like a bit of a puzzler at the current moment, especially since he's not even on the roster for the U.S.'s World Cup qualifier in Mexico City on Wednesday and hasn't scored in 13 appearances for Chivas this season. It would appear to be a decision made well in advance of what the U.S. national team has accomplished this summer, before other candidates had emerged.
Kljsten started 2009 as a hot commodity, especially after his breakout 2008 season at Chivas, where he was team MVP and lead it in scoring. He carried that form into some early friendlies with the U.S. national team -- including a hat trick in a 3-2 win over Sweden in January -- and even took the time to speak with FanHouse at the end of March.
Since then, his performance has been mixed. He featured at the Confederations Cup, but received a red card in the second half of a Group B match against Brazil in June and hasn't appeared for the U.S. since.
Perhaps gracing the 'FIFA' cover, which other U.S. players like Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore and Maurice Edu have in the past, will be the kickstart for Kljestan's career.
'FIFA 10' arrives in North American stores on Oct. 20.
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