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FIFA 23’s women look so bad, the players say it’s “wasting our time”

FIFA 23, the tentpole sports game from EA, just launched new women’s teams, but the on-pitch avatars face strong criticism from their real-world counterparts.

FIFA 23's women look so bad, the players say it's "wasting our time": NWSL player Madison Hammond as she appears in EA sports game FIFA 23

The latest addition to FIFA 23, teams from the United States National Women’s Soccer League and the Women’s Champions League have finally arrived in the EA sports game. The appearances of in-game avatars however face criticism from their real-world counterparts, who say that FIFA 23 is “wasting our time” owing to severe inaccuracies, which including making players bald and giving them “five o’clock shadow.”

12 squads from the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) have been added to FIFA 23, encompassing dozens of players including Janine Beckie for Portland Thorns, Madison Hammond for Angel City, and her teammate Sydney Leroux. Sharing images of their FIFA 23 avatars, each of these players, and others, criticise how they are depicted in the EA football game.

“Someone please let me know when they find me,” Hammond writes. “Madison Hammond, number 99 from Angel City, because this is not it.”

FIFA 23’s women look so bad, the players say it’s “wasting our time”: Footballer Madison Hammond as she appears in EA sports game FIFA 23

“Found my long-lost twin,” Beckie writes, sharing an image of her in-game avatar. “Fraternal obviously.”

FIFA 23’s women look so bad, the players say it’s “wasting our time”: Footballer Janine Beckie shares an image of how she appears in EA Sports Game FIFA 23

Posting an image of Welsh international and OL Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock, Leroux writes “can someone please tell me why Jess Fishlock has five ‘o clock shadow?” The Angel City forward also shares footage of her own avatar in FIFA 23. “Please tell me I did not do an entire body scan for that,” Leroux writes. “You’re going to scare my children.”

Leroux also posts an image of Kailen Sheridan, a goalkeeper for San Diego Wave. Despite her real-world appearance, in FIFA 23, Sheridan appears bald and without eyebrows.

FIFA 23’s women look so bad, the players say it’s “wasting our time”: A player from EA sports game FIFA 23 with no hair

“I know you expect women to just be thankful and grateful that you’ve given us a little sliver of publicity but please stop wasting our time,” Leroux writes. “Some of us are bald.”

PCGamesN has contacted EA Sports for comment and will update this story with any further information. FIFA itself, the international governing body for football, is developing a rival to EA Sports’ football sim, which has been rebranded to EA Sports FC after the long-term licensing deal between the two collapsed in 2022. FIFA president Gianna Infantino says the governing body will create “the best e-game for any girl or boy.”

Check out all the FIFA 23 ratings. You’ll also want to bag all the best FIFA 23 wonderkids, or maybe try some of the other greatest multiplayer games on PC.