"This is going to be our year."
It’s a phrase expectant football fans around the globe chime annually. That the start of a new season - and hopefully, one or two star signings - will pave the way for fresh hopes, dreams, and tantalising possibilities.
Fans of EA Sports’ long-running FIFA franchise are no stranger to the phrase either. For the better part of a decade, there hasn’t been a title challenger in sight. FIFA didn’t just get used to winning titles - it could stroll casually towards them without a care in the world.
Like Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, there’s been no stopping EA’s footie sim juggernaut - but times are changing. In recent years, Pro Evo has emerged as a serious challenger, forcing FIFA to work harder to keep its place at the top of the table.
If FIFA 17 is anything to go by, the EA Sports team really are starting to feel the heat, with some questionable decisions dragging the once unflappable champions back into the title fight.
They might still be on course to win this year’s metaphorical trophy, but there’s no denying it’s getting tighter at the top.