No Neymar In The End?! FIFA 20 Does Not Feature Cover Star Yet
Jun 12, 2019, by Chris
Some days ago, images of the possible FIFA 20 cover circulated in the internet, showing an illustration of Neymar wearing next season's PSG kit on the FIFA 20 cover. Now Electronic Arts has said that the ‘leaked’ image for the cover of the next FIFA title, FIFA 20, is not official.
Does FIFA 20 Do Not Have Neymar as Cover Star Because Of Rape Allegations?
EA Sports just said that the image of the FIFA 20 cover would be not official. Meanwhile, however, reports from Brazil suggest that due to the allegations of rape against Neymar in recent weeks, EA decided that Neymar will not be the main guy of FIFA 20. Last year, EA Sports already banned Cristiano Ronaldo from the cover, also due to rape allegations.
The illustration on the cover that shows Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar celebrating in front of a pink backdrop was made by the Brazilian designer Cristiano Siqueira. "The one who asked me was a US design office, the Five Design. The illustration would be part of a graphic design that this agency would be creating for EA," he told Brazilian newspaper Folha .
Siqueira did not know that his work could be the cover image of the game. "We have budgeted a value that would cover any kind of use, including worldwide," he explained, without revealing the contract's budget for contractual matters.
The designer says that Neymar learned that the illustration had been made by a Brazilian and wanted to meet him. "I was contacted by Neymar's staff last month and they said Neymar had been tanned and it would be interesting to schedule an interview with me to tell you a bit about the work."
According to Siqueira, the interview happened, but it could only be released after the official launch of the game, according to agreement with EA. Now he does not know if the design will be used.
FIFA 20 will hit stores on September 20. Until then, EA has scheduled two more events for the release of news related to the game. The company does not rule out presenting a new cover.
EA is not the only partner of Neymar that is unsure how to deal with the situation and the rape allegations. At least four of the ten brands that have partnered with him have already shown discomfort with the case. Mastercard even suspended a campaign with the striker that would be displayed in the America's Cup.
President Jair Bolsonaro went to Brasília clinic where Neymar was after the friendly against Qatar; 'From what I've seen so far, Neymar is innocent,' said Bolsonaro.
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Grimsby Town 26-27 Third Kit Released
Grimsby Town and technical partner Lotto have officially revealed the club's new 26-27 third kit. Following the previous releases of their home and away strips, the new design draws inspiration from the earliest days of the Mariners playing at Blundell Park, combining a rich brown base with light blue and white accents.
The Grimsby Town 26-27 third jersey is predominantly brown, featuring a broad white chest band bordered by a thin sky blue line. The kit showcases an all-over sublimated diamond pattern across the body, with matching white and sky blue trim along the collar and sleeve cuffs. A monochrome white club crest sits on the chest, while a fisherman illustration is printed on the upper back as a sign-off detail.
Matching brown shorts and socks complete the full uniform for the Mariners. The new Lotto Grimsby Town 26-27 third strip will be available to purchase in-store from Friday, August 7, with online sales opening on Monday, August 10.
US Thionville Lusitanos 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
French club US Thionville Lusitanos has officially unveiled its new home and away kits for the 26-27 season, made in collaboration with Kappa. The new collection draws direct inspiration from the history, architecture, and soul of the city of Thionville. The reveal shoot took place at the historic Tour aux Puces, emphasizing the deep connection between the club and its local heritage.
The 26-27 home kit features a sky blue base with white trim along the collar and sleeve cuffs, complemented by custom graphic artwork along the lower hem depicting local landmarks and symbols. The away shirt shares the same design blueprint, opting for a clean light grey base paired with white accents and tonal architectural patterns near the bottom. Both shirts feature crewneck collars and host a range of local club sponsors.
The new Kappa US Thionville Lusitanos 26-27 home and away jerseys will be available to purchase starting August 14, 2026.
Oliver Baumann Slams FIFA Over World Cup Jersey Badge
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Baumann has publicly spoken out against FIFA's commercialization, pointing to a controversial practice involving temporary kit badges at the 2026 World Cup. In a recent interview with BILD, the goalkeeper criticized what German media have dubbed "Trikot Gate," shedding light on how players' match jerseys were handled for profit behind the scenes.
According to Baumann, FIFA applied special commemorative patches to player shirts before matches, labeling players with titles like "Legacy" or "Debutant." However, immediately after matches, staff entered the dressing room to peel those badges off the jerseys. Frustrated by the process, Baumann stated that players just wanted to keep their authentic kits intact rather than having them stripped.
Baumann did not play a match in the 2026 World Cup. Those badges are removed from the kits to be later part of trading cards, as part of a deal with Topps. However, it remains to be seen if badges of players who finally did not make a debut will be made into cards, or if it was just removed because of the streamlined process.
The goalkeeper appealed to governing bodies to prioritize the sport itself over endless commercial initiatives. Baumann warned that excessive commercialization, from stripped kit patches to unnecessary breaks, threatens to alienate fans and players who care about the tradition and passion of football.
Mohamed Salah Takes Number 10 Shirt at Trabzonspor
Mohamed Salah has officially completed his move to Turkish side Trabzonspor after leaving Liverpool. Following his arrival, the Egyptian superstar has been assigned the club's number 10 shirt for the 26-27 season. The Turkish club had initially prepared the number 11 jersey, the same squad number Salah wore during his iconic stint at Anfield, but the winger requested number 10 instead to match his shirt number with the Egypt national team.
To accommodate the request, Trabzonspor player Ernest Muçi, who previously held the number 10 jersey, agreed to give up the squad number out of respect for his new teammate. During his arrival flight to Turkey, Salah was seen wearing a presentation kit featuring number 61. The number 61 holds special cultural significance in Trabzon, representing the province's vehicle code and a tradition celebrated by supporters in the 61st minute of matches.
Salah has signed a two-year deal with Trabzonspor, and his official number 10 kit is now available as the club prepares for the upcoming season.