FIFA: My Dream For Be A Pro

What you are about to read is totally fictitious and I’m perfectly aware that little to none of my ambitious musings will ever come to fruition, though it can’t hurt to dream, so please don’t take many of my outlandish suggestions too seriously. Also, I made it my goal not to include many footballers extracurricular activities and other similar situations that some professionals inevitably find themselves in as features in my dream Be A Pro (you don’t want a football sim that’s too realistic).

FIFA 12 will almost undoubtedly be crowned king of the football simulator for a third successive year regardless of the chances EA are taking and direction their heading. FIFA’s realistic and fun aspects have for the past 2 years been very finely balanced, never straying too far into one aspect without gripping tightly at the other, and though FIFA has always maintained a certain sense of maddening frustration with every iteration, it somehow always unconsciously tempt’s you back. Arguably one of most absorbing inclusions to the FIFA universe is the introduction of Be A Pro, which grants the user with the unique opportunity to build and create a player (usually in your own appearance) to join a team of your choice and compete as one individual character, you then aid your desired team to success, but regardless of this entertaining addition to the franchise, for me it’s always been a concept not entirely realized, why not award players with the scope to not only be a pro, but to also live the life of a professional footballer (virtually of course).

It’s every young boys and young at heart man’s dream to become a footballer, so why not make it a virtual reality? Imagine being presented with the option to not only participate in electrifying cup matches but to also experience life off the pitch. Spending your hard-earned cash on plush, expensive super cars, and driving your exorbitant car through a GTA inspired free roaming city to attend training on time, with the enhanced addition of avoiding any other vehicles on the road to prevent making front page headlines in some gossip filled tabloid. You should be granted with the opportunity to interact with the fans, by signing autographs and having pictures taken so as not to omit your adoring enthusiasts, it could even add additional incentive to perform on the pitch too, by highlighting the terrible pitfalls of being a professional footballer. Neglecting your fans could be costly, with many disillusioned supporters hurling a barrage of abuse, booing and discriminating every move and touch of the ball you make, leading to some particularly scathing back page press from the ever fickle tabloids who will be quick to scrutinise.

Of course every budding young footballer has to begin somewhere, so commencing your career as a young player competing outside of the football leagues would be an appropriate start, and a more realistic one. Progressing your way through the ranks from a Non league nobody to a Champions league winning star will make your achievements far more challenging but equally satisfying, because becoming a world-class player should feel like a journey with all the trials and tribulations, but still retaining the same degree of fun. Other more realistic additions that EA should (and I’d like to stress the word should!) consider is the chance to play international matches which was sadly lacking from the previous FIFA installment, not to mention cup celebrations, conceivably even an open top bus through the city/town? Also with the womans game becoming increasingly popular with men, as well as woman and despite the leagues infancy, perhaps it’s time that a womans league should be included? Possibly not in this fantasy Be A Pro concept, but certainly in a FIFA title

Ok, so my ideas for a fantasy Be A Pro game are admittedly a little ambitious (just slightly), and that EA would never take my rambling notions seriously, but even with that aside, creating a game as vast and intricate as this would be almost impossible, even as a standalone game and for a company as wealthy as EA. But it doesn’t hurt to dream.

What would your fantasy FIFA/Be A Pro consist of? Let me know your ideas, cheers.