King Ibrahimovic and the 300 Football Spartans - athletes want to sue EA for using their appearance in FIFA

The agent of the famous football player Zlatan Ibrahibovic Mino Raiola gave an interview for The Telegraph. Raiola claims that about 300 players are considering a lawsuit against Electronic Arts, which published FIFA 21. In their opinion, the athletes' appearance was used in the game without their permission. Zlatan even says that EA "has been cashing in on his name and face for many years," as reported on his Twitter account.

EA did not ignore his statement and gave a quick response, in which they clarified the rights to use his appearance, as well as the appearance of all other footballers who are represented in the franchises. According to the above, EA does not enter into contracts separately with players, but with entire leagues and teams that give permission to use external data of athletes in the game.

Mino Raiola does not deny this fact, but claims that contracts of such a plan are not legitimate. He says that the Association of Professional Football Players, FIFA and other football organizations, selling the rights to the appearance of football players, simply cash in on this, although they do not have these very rights. According to Raiola, only football players can give the go-ahead to use their appearance in the game.

In August 2020, AC Milan, in which Zlatan Ibrahimovic plays, entered into an agreement with EA, under which the developers of the football simulator have the right to add to the game the entire football team and the club's home stadium, San Siro.

The resentment from Ibragiovic on Twitter came after the British media reported that David Beckham's income from using his image in FIFA 21. According to them, the Englishman will earn € 40,000,000 over three years.