The latest addition to the FIFA video game franchise has been revealed, with Aussie soccer star Tim Cahill featuring as an in-game hero.
Cahill didn't appear in the last four games, but he's back out of retirement (in a way) to feature alongside the best of the sport.
In an exclusive interview with 9News, Cahill opened up about his new role in the game and other exciting features we can expect.
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"Any balls swung into the box, you know, you've got a massive chance of me doing a header," he said.
"It is the next best thing to play."
Featuring in FIFA games is a prestigious plaudit, Cahill told 9news. The football star reminisced on speaking with the other legends of the game who also own the honour of featuring in the game.
"When I say I sit with these players, whether it's Roberto Carlos or 'the real Ronaldo', you talk about these sorts of things. The players love it, it means a lot to them," he said.
And while there are 19 other heroes that appear in FIFA 22, Cahill was staying tight-lipped about who they were.
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"I think when you put together a team, you want to be part of the best in the region. You want to be part of, you know, with the elite," he said.
"My whole life I've been obsessed with being the best trainer, you know, on and off the path. And when you get asked to do these sorts of things it's. It truly is a reflection of your career."
Heroes are new in-game items that represent the stories and triumphs of iconic players.
In Cahill's case, players can experience his iconic bicycle kick goal and his corner-flag-punching celebration.
Reflecting on his career, Cahill says until he retired he didn't even realise how much he had achieved.
"I think now I can really enjoy the retirement side of it, and take in all that I've done," he said.
"Twenty years of playing, mate. You don't actually realise what you've done. You're in a bubble."
FIFA 22 also features a new technical upgrade that utilises real-world football data.
The technology, named HyperMotion, captures real player movements and converts them into realistic gameplay, essentially creating new animations in real-time while you play.
"You're not just talking PlayStation and Xbox and all this, you're talking about PCs, you're talking about, the whole gaming world, eSports, how interested everyone is in it," Cahill said.
HyperMotion is only available on the newer gaming consoles and Google's streaming platform, Stadia.
FIFA 22 with HyperMotion technology is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Stadia on October 1. The standard FIFA 22 game will also be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
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