Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala Are the FC 26 Cover Stars — and Fans Are Now Wondering if the 'Madden Curse' Has Spread to Soccer

It’s that clip of the twelvemonth again and EA has revealed the screen stars of its adjacent shot game, FC 26. But this spell astir there’s interest that the infamous 'Madden curse' has dispersed to EA’s shot series, aft associated screen stars Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala suffered important injuries that near them facing lengthy spells connected the sidelines.

“It’s truly bully to stock this infinitesimal with Jamal, arsenic a reflection of however acold we’ve come,” said Real Madrid and England midfield prima Bellingham successful a remark accompanying the announcement.

“I retrieve our times rooming unneurotic successful the England Youth team, we’d play the crippled each the time. Where I’m from, everyone knows the game, everyone plays it and talks astir it truthful much. I’m grateful to beryllium fixed the accidental to beryllium connected the screen again.”

And here’s a remark from Bayern Munich and Germany guardant Musiala: “When I recovered retired I’d beryllium connected the screen of FC, it was specified a brainsick feeling. I thought, however could I archer my small brother? He’s a large instrumentality of the game, truthful this volition beryllium a bully astonishment for him. It’s thing I ever wanted increasing up and it’s specified a large portion of shot culture. Who knows, possibly I tin inactive bushed Jude astatine FC.”

The occupation is, some players are injured and are acceptable to miss a important chunk of the adjacent season. Let’s commencement with Bellingham. The 22-year-old conscionable had country connected a long-standing enarthrosis wounded that’s acceptable to support him retired of the crippled for up to 4 months. That means he’s going to miss the commencement of adjacent play and whitethorn not instrumentality until November.

It’s worse for Musiala, though. He suffered a horrible wounded playing astatine the Club World Cup that rules him retired for betwixt 4 and 5 months. After breaking his limb and dislocating his ankle successful the aforesaid incident, the 22-year-old is acceptable for a agelong absence.

All this means FC 26 launches successful September with some its screen stars incapable to play the game. One perchance won’t play again until 2026. Hardly perfect for the marketers astatine EA Sports, who indispensable beryllium wondering whether they are present cursed.

Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala some look lengthy spells connected the sidelines. Image credit: EA Sports.

The Madden curse instrumentality mentation suggests immoderate jock who appears connected the screen of Madden NFL suffers a downturn successful their career, either from an wounded oregon mostly underperforming. The long-standing Madden curse astir precocious afflicted Madden NFL 25 screen prima Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers, who was shifted to the injured reserve database owed to calf tightness and achilles tendinitis 1 period aft helium graced the screen of the latest American shot introduction from EA Sports, which arrived August 13, 2024.

CBS Sports analyzed the past of the Madden curse upon McCaffrey's announcement arsenic 2024's screen star, deeming that, betwixt 2000 and 2024, 58% of players struggled aft appearing connected the cover.

EA’s FIFA bid — present FC — has a agelong mode to spell earlier a ‘FIFA curse’ spreads online, but possibly FC 26 has started thing new. FC 26 launches crossed PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, PC, Amazon Luna, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 connected September 26, 2025, with aboriginal entree done the Ultimate Edition opening September 19, 2025.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].