Argentina and footballing legend Diego Maradona doesn't feature in FIFA 23, with seven other FUT Icons removed from the game this year.
EA Sports confirmed to Mirror Football earlier this year that Maradona was removed from FIFA 22 following a third-party legal dispute in March, and the late footballer has not been added back for FIFA 23. Maradona sadly passed away aged 60 in November 2020. Maradona was part of the first batch of FUT Icons in the Ultimate Team game mode, being added into FUT in FIFA 18. And, he isn't the only Icon to be removed from FIFA 23, with seven other Icons missing from FIFA 23 Ultimate Team.
FUT Icons are a set of special player cards in FIFA Ultimate Team based on legendary footballers from the past, with 100 Icons currently included in FIFA 23. Each Icon will receive three different cards throughout FIFA based on different stages of their career - a base player item, mid and prime.
In FIFA 22, Icons received Icon Moments player items, celebrating a special moment in that player's career which would also be their highest-rated card. But, for FIFA 23, Icon Moments have been removed, with selected Icons set to be included in certain FIFA 23 promos instead.
Along with Maradona being removed from FIFA 22, Netherlands Icon Marc Overmars was also removed from the game and the ex-Arsenal and Barcelona player will not feature in FIFA 23. Here's the list of every Icon that has been removed for FIFA 23.
- Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan)
- Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria)
- Diego Maradona (Argentina)
- Marc Overmars (Netherlands)
- Deco (Portugal)
- Ryan Giggs (Wales)
- Pep Guardiola (Spain)
- Filippo Inzaghi (Italy)
Hidetoshi Nakata and Jay-Jay Okocha have both been removed as Icons in FIFA 23, but both have been added back into the game as a different player item, FUT Heroes. Deco, Pep Guardiola, Filippo Inzaghi and Ryan Giggs have also been removed as Icons in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team.
For FIFA 23, three new Icons were added to the game - Gerd Muller, Xabi Alonso and Jarizinho. Here's a list of every Icon in FIFA 23.
- Alan Shearer (England)
- Alessandro Del Piero (Italy)
- Alessandro Nesta (Italy)
- Andrea Pirlo (Italy)
- Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine)
- Ashley Cole (England)
- Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany)
- Bobby Moore (England)
- Cafu (Brazil)
- Carles Puyol (Spain)
- Carlos Alberto (Brazil)
- Christian Vieri (Italy)
- Clarence Seedorf (Netherlands)
- Claude Makelele (France)
- David Beckham (England)
- David Trezeguet (France)
- Davor Suker (Croatia)
- Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands)
- Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)
- Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands)
- Emilio Butragueno (Spain)
- Emmanuel Petit (France)
- Eric Cantona (France)
- Eusebio (Portugal)
- Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
- Ferenc Puskas (Hungary)
- Fernando Hierro (Spain)
- Fernando Torres (Spain)
- Franco Baresi (Italy)
- Frank Lampard (England)
- Frank Rijkaard (Netherlands)
- Garrincha (Brazil)
- Gary Lineker (England)
- Gennaro Gattuso (Italy)
- George Best (Northern Ireland)
- Gerd Müller (Germany)
- Gheorghe Hagi (Romania)
- Gianfranco Zola (Italy)
- Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy)
- Henrik Larsson (Sweden)
- Hernan Crespo (Argentina)
- Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)
- Hugo Sanchez (Mexico)
- Ian Rush (Wales)
- Ian Wright (England)
- Iker Casillas (Spain)
- Jairzinho (Brazil)
- Jari Litmanen (Finland)
- Javier Zanetti (Argentina)
- Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
- John Barnes (England)
- Juan Roman Riquelme (Argentina)
- Juan Sebastian Veron (Argentina)
- Kaka (Brazil)
- Kenny Dalglish (Scotland)
- Lauren Blanc (France)
- Lev Yashin (Russia)
- Lothar Matthaus (Germany)
- Luis Figo (Portugal)
- Luis Hernandez (Mexico)
- Marcel Desailly (France)
- Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
- Michael Ballack (Germany)
- Michael Essien (Ghana)
- Michael Laudrup (Denmark)
- Michael Owen (England)
- Miroslav Klose (Germany)
- Nemanja Vidic (Serbia)
- Paolo Maldini (Italy)
- Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands)
- Patrick Vieira (France)
- Paul Scholes (England)
- Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic)
- Pele (Brazil)
- Peter Schmeichel (Denmark)
- Petr Cech (Czech Republic)
- Phillip Lahm (Germany)
- Raul (Spain)
- Rio Ferdinand (England)
- Rivaldo (Brazil)
- Robert Pires (France)
- Roberto Baggio (Italy)
- Roberto Carlos (Brazil)
- Robin van Persie (Netherlands)
- Ronald Koeman (Netherlands)
- Ronaldinho (Brazil)
- Ronaldo (Brazil)
- Roy Keane (Ireland)
- Rui Costa (Portugal)
- Ruud Gullit (Netherlands)
- Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands)
- Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Socrates (Brazil)
- Sol Campbell (England)
- Steven Gerrard (England)
- Theirry Henry (France)
- Wayne Rooney (England)
- Xabi Alonso (Spain)
- Xavi (Spain)
- Zinedine Zidane (France)
FIFA 23 will be the final instalment of EA's FIFA video game franchise, following the announcement that the 30-year partnership between EA Sports and FIFA will end. EA has already announced their new game to be released following FIFA 23, 'EA Sports FC'.
FIFA 23 is developed by EA Vancouver and EA Romania and will be available worldwide on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia, PS4, and Xbox One on September 30. Early access for FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition begins on September 27, 2022.
