Women’s football is finally getting the recognition it deserves but watching the pros play isn’t the only way to get involved. FIFA 23, the latest instalment of the hugely popular EA video game, has just been released, meaning you can have a virtual go at playing as your favourite footballers and teams. If you’re not familiar, you can select a mode that lets you play as a team (Arsenal Women, for example) in a one-off game, for a season or against others online.
It’s also a big moment for FIFA when it comes to women’s football. Although international women’s teams have featured in the game since FIFA 16, this year’s edition is the first you’ll be able to play as club teams from the BWSL and Division 1 Arkema, the top division for women’s football in France. It’s also the first year that a female football player – Chelsea’s Sam Kerr (more on her later) – has appeared on the cover of the game.
Whether you’re a FIFA pro or a total newbie, with football mania reaching fever pitch, now is the perfect time to start playing this legendary video game. Using data captured from real matches, you’ll feel totally immersed. Here, we run through some of the top players and what to take from those key FIFA 23 ratings.
With endless accolades to her name, Sam Kerr is a big deal in the football world. The 29-year-old Australian is a striker for Chelsea, where she’s been the top goal scorer for the last two seasons. In fact, last season she scored a whopping 20 goals in 20 games. As well as playing for Chelsea, she’s also captain of Australia’s national women’s football team, the Matildas. Need another reason to be in awe of her? Kerr is the only women’s footballer to have won the Golden Boot – the award given to players who score the most goals in a season – in three different leagues on three different continents. As her FIFA 23 ratings show, she’s pretty speedy on the pitch, too. In short, she’s an epic goal-scorer and if you’re planning to play as Chelsea Women, you definitely want her up top.
Twenty-three-year-old Swiss player Alisha Lehmann joined Aston Villa last season as a forward, having played for West Ham United and Everton. She’s already a hit with fans, who voted her player of the season in 2021/22. A pacy right-winger (an attacking position which generally involves being near the touchline), Lehmann is always up for driving into the box (that’s the penalty area around the goal). As a result, she has helped set up numerous goals since moving to the Midlands club. She’s also scored five goals in the 23 matches she’s played to date, which isn’t too shabby at all. Lehmann was selected to play for the Swiss squad in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 but decided not to as she didn’t feel mentally ready for a European tournament. As her FIFA 23 ratings show, she’s a solid all-rounder when it comes to speed, shooting, passing and dribbling.
When it comes to sending balls to the back of the net, Vivianne Miedema doesn’t mess about. The Dutch striker plays for her national team, the Netherlands, as well as Arsenal Women. At just 22 years old, she scored her 60th goal for the Netherlands, making her the team’s top scorer. She’s made waves in the BWSL, too. Having transferred from Bayern Munich to Arsenal in 2017, she was part of the squad that won the BWSL in 2018/19. Now, at 26, she’s smashed so many records that it’s hard to keep up. She’s the all-time top scorer in the BWSL and holds the record for the most goals in a single BWSL game (six! In a single game!) as well as the most goals in a season (22). As her overall rating shows, she’s an essential player to have on your squad thanks to her speed and shooting skills.
Prestwich-born Abbie McManus has played for plenty of women’s football teams in England, including Sheffield, Manchester City, Manchester United (the team she grew up supporting) and Tottenham Hotspur. Her latest move was last year, when she signed to Leicester City ahead of the 2021/22 season – it was good timing, too, as they’d just been promoted to the BWSL. She’s also represented England at an international level, making three appearances in the 2019 World Cup under then-head coach Phil Neville. As a centre-back, McManus is all about defence, which is where she shines on the pitch (and in those FIFA 23 ratings). Don’t worry about her low shooting score – she leaves that to the attackers.
All clued up on which FIFA 23 player to pick for the pitch? Good. Now as the nights draw in and the temperature drops, get cosy, grab a controller and have your pals over for a game.
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