This year’s Team of the Year cards may have a changed name, but EA FC is still ringing in the New Year with them, which means we all have more things to dispute over.
The EA FC 24 TOTY cards will have a full women’s XI in addition to the men’s XI, and the women’s side will have their own full list of nominees. Have strong feelings on who is getting chances in the USWNT midfield and want to debate the merits of dominating competition in the Saudi Pro League as a method of being nominated for Team of the Year? You’ve come to the correct location!
As is customary, the final Team of the Year will be decided by a fan vote, which will begin on EA FC’s website on January 8. But, until then, there’s plenty of room for debate and discussion about who will get your vote.
Here are some of the most talked-about topics for both the men’s and women’s nominees.
Ronaldo is making a comeback.
Cristiano Ronaldo is back among the elite after being surprised not to see his name on the list last year. He’s scored 20 goals and provided nine assists in the Saudi Pro League so far this season, and he’s also returned from a disappointing international year in 2022 by his standards to score 10 more goals for Portugal in nine Euro 2024 qualification matches.
Ronaldo finished 2023 as the world’s leading goal scorer after scoring his 54th goal of the season in Al Nassr’s 4-1 victory over Al Taawoun on December 30.
If voted into this year’s TOTY, he will be one of the first players to get the award who does not play in one of Europe’s major leagues (Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga, or Ligue 1). It’s certainly fitting that if he does, he’ll have to share the honor with another nominee on this year’s list: Messi, his everlasting nemesis.
Messi appears to be the MLS’s first TOTY winner.
Lionel Messi is on the list following his final half-season with PSG and his brief but explosive debut in MLS, where he scored 11 goals and provided four assists in 14 appearances for Inter Miami CF before suffering an injury that ended his season – and Miami’s MLS Cup playoff hopes.
It’s evident that Messi has more than enough potential to scorch MLS for the next few seasons, and perhaps it’s that kind of otherworldly talent, the likes of which MLS hasn’t seen in their midst in the league’s history, that will help propel him to another TOTY participation.
Obviously, every first in soccer is significant for MLS, and the MLS logo being on a TOTY card would surely elicit some satisfaction from league management, who went to great efforts to secure hm.
Manchester City leads the male nominations.
The men’s nominations reflect last year’s finest club in the world: Manchester City. Following the Premier League and FA Cup victories, as well as the Champions League, the Club World Cup was held in December. It’s fitting that City has received the most nominations.
The roster also includes Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Rben Dias, John Stones, and Éderson. It’s difficult to argue against anyone’s inclusion here, and the fact that City has practically a full XI of players demonstrates how dominant it was in 2023.
