FIFA 19 Prime ICON Moments Guide

LOTHAR MATTHÄUS
Lothar Matthäus (born 21 March 1961) is Germany’s most-capped international footballer with 150 appearances, including games in a record five different World Cups. After starting his career with Borussia Mönchengladbach, he made a controversial switch to Bayern München. He won the Bundesliga seven times in two spells with Bayern, on either side of four years with Inter which included a Serie A title. In 1990 Matthäus captained Germany to World Cup glory and, later that year, won the coveted Ballon d’Or. He ended his career with the MLS’s Metrostars and you can play with him now as one of the FIFA 19 Icons.

The Moment
Germany 4-1 Yugoslavia – World Cup 1990 Group Stage
At his sixth international tournament, Lothar Matthäus captained West Germany in their 1990 FIFA World Cup opener against FR Yugoslavia. He opened the scoring with a powerful left-footed effort after showing great ball control. His second of the night was even better. Receiving the ball from midfield, Matthäus went on a stunning solo run, shimmied past an onrushing defender and then scored with a stunning long-range effort. Matthäus later dubbed the 4-1 victory as his best match for Germany.

GEORGE BEST
George Best (born 22 May 1946) was one of the greatest footballers to play the game. Famed for the 11 years he spent at Manchester United, Best was a Ballon d’Or winner in 1968 and helped United lift the European Cup the same year. Renowned for his incredible dribbling ability, Best was called “the greatest player in the world” by Brazilian legend Pelé, and with 37 caps was said to be the “greatest player to ever pull on the green shirt of Northern Ireland” by the Irish Football Association.

The Moment
Manchester United 4-1 SL Benfica – European Cup Final 67/68
George Best’s career highlight came in the 1968 European Cup Final at Wembley against Benfica. With the game tied at 1-1 going into extra-time, Best made the difference. Taking an exquisite first touch to beat the last defender, Best’s dummy allowed him to go around goalkeeper José Henrique to slot into an empty net. Two further late goals from Manchester United sealed a dramatic victory as they won the European Cup in their home country.

THIERRY HENRY
One of the Premier League’s all-time great strikers, Henry’s incredibly elegant yet unbelievably deadly finishing won him the Golden Boot four times in his eight years at the club. A World Cup winner on home turf in 1998, the Frenchman is his country’s top scorer having amassed 51 goals in 123 appearances. He was one of the most waited FIFA 19 Icons.

The Moment
Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal – Premier League 01/02
Arsenal arrived at Old Trafford knowing a draw would be enough to secure the 2001-02 Premier League title. Spirits were high after beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final a few days previously, but the visitors were without key men Henry, Adams and Bergkamp. This put added pressure on stand-in captain Patrick Vieira, but the Frenchman certainly didn’t disappoint. He produced a dominant display, shielding his back four and helping his side battle to a 1-0 win to secure the title.

FABIO CANNAVARO
Fabio Cannavaro (born 13 September 1973 in Naples) is widely regarded as being one of the greatest defenders of his generation. His career highlight came in 2006 as Cannavaro famously captained his country to World Cup glory with incredible displays which saw him nicknamed “The Berlin Wall”. A winner of both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year in 2006, he went on to become Italy’s most capped player with 136 appearances for his country. After a successful club career which saw him win honours at both Parma and Real Madrid, he retired from the game in 2011.

The Moment
Germany 0-2 Italy – World Cup 2006 Semi Final
In the first 2006 FIFA World Cup semi-final, Fabio Cannavaro produced an outstanding performance to keep Germany at bay over a gruelling 120 minutes of play. With the game locked at 0-0 and seemingly destined for penalties, Italy stole it right at the death with two goals deep into extra time. Cannavaro topped off his fine defensive display by initiating the counter-attack that led to Italy’s decisive second goal.

ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO
Alessandro Del Piero (born 9 November 1974) is a retired Italian football legend. He is most known for his time at Juventus, where he was and still is one of the most accomplished and respected players in the club’s history. He made his professional debut with Serie B side Padova in 1992 and in 1993 earned a transfer to Juventus, where he played for 19 seasons. Del Piero was revered for his attacking and creative play. He was most famous for his left sided attacks where he would dribble in from wide, cutting across the edge of the area and curling a finesse shot into the top corner. This was known throughout as the “Del Piero Zone”.

The Moment
Germany 0-2 Italy – World Cup 2006 Semi Final
It took until the 119th minute of the 2006 FIFA World Cup semi-final for Italy to break the deadlock against Germany. With Germany then piling men forward, Italy hit them on the counter and substitute Alessandro Del Piero almost immediately doubled the lead, placing a first-time finish with the inside of his foot into the top corner. The goal cued wild celebrations and sealed Italy’s place in the final which they would go on to win

ROBERTO BAGGIO
Roberto Baggio was born on 18 February 1967 in Caldogno, Italy. He was technically gifted, creative playmaker and a set piece specialist, renowned for his curling free-kicks, dribbling skills, and goalscoring. He was also known as Il Divin Codino (The Divine Ponytail), for the hairstyle he wore for most of his career, for his talent and for his Buddhist beliefs. Baggio is the only Italian to score in three World Cups, and with nine goals holds the record for most goals scored in World Cup tournaments for Italy, along with Paolo Rossi and Christian Vieri. In 2002, Baggio became the first Italian player in over 50 years to score more than 300 career goals.

The Moment
Nigeria 1-2 Italy – World Cup 1994 Round of 16
Roberto Baggio scored twice to help Italy defeat Nigeria in the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup in July 1994. Italy had fallen behind in the 15th minute but Baggio rescued his country with a calm side-foot finish from just inside the box in the 89th minute. With the game going in to extra-time, Baggio kept his nerve to score the winning goal from the penalty spot as Italy ran out 2-1 winners. He continued his scoring form in the following rounds to lead Italy to the final against Brazil.

MARCO VAN BASTEN
Marco van Basten (born on 31 October 1964 in Holland) is widely regarded as one of the greatest forwards of all time. Before injury cut short his career at the age of 28, van Basten won more accolades throughout his career than most players can dream of achieving. As well as being a triple winner of the Ballon d’Or, van Basten’s career highlight came in 1988 when his spectacular volley in the European Championship final helped the Netherlands to their first major piece of silverware. His club career ended with a phenomenal record of 276 goals in just 373 appearances for Ajax and AC Milan.

The Moment
Netherlands 2-1 Soviet Union – Euro 1988 Final
Marco van Basten helped the Netherlands to reach the final of UEFA Euro 1988. Playing against a Soviet Union side which had defeated the Netherlands earlier in the competition, the Oranje were 1-0 up when Arnold Mühren crossed to the back post from where Marco van Basten unleashed a stunning volley from a tight angle. The Netherlands went on to lift the title with van Basten’s goal widely regarded as one of the greatest goals in the history of the competition.

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY
Ruud van Nistelrooy (born 1 July 1976 in Oss, North Brabant) is a retired Dutch striker. Ruud began his career in Holland where spells at Den Bosch, Heerenveen and PSV Eindhoven fuelled Manchester United to spend £19 million for his services. At Manchester United, van Nistelrooy cemented his place as one of the deadliest strikers in the world, scoring 150 goals in just 219 appearances. His career highlight came in 2002-03 as van Nistelrooy bagged a career best 44 goals, which helped Manchester United to the Premier League title, and Ruud to the Premier League Player of the Year award.

The Moment
Manchester United 3-0 Fulham – Premier League 02/03
Ruud van Nistelrooy was in scintillating form against Fulham in 2003, scoring all of the goals as Manchester United ran out 3-0 winners. The Dutchman clinically netted his second hat-trick of the season, which included a magnificent solo effort. Faced with a mass of white shirts when he picked up the ball near the halfway line, van Nistelrooy spotted a gap and exploited it superbly, beating six defenders as he charged into the box before producing a cool finish.

DENNIS BERGKAMP
Dennis Bergkamp (born 10 May 1969) is a technically gifted, former Dutch striker most famed for his spells with his home town Ajax and later at English side Arsenal. Nicknamed “The non-flying Dutchman” due to his fear of flying, Bergkamp’s career really took off at Ajax in the early 1990s when he scored 75 goals in just 91 league appearances. Bergkamp later moved to England where he joined Arsenal and became a key member of Arsenal’s “Invincibles” side. He is also remembered for scoring one of the greatest Premier League goals of all time against Newcastle in 2002.

The Moment
? ?-? Arsenal – Premier League
At the start of his third season for Arsenal, Dennis Bergkamp scored his first hat-trick for the club in style. The first two were special goals in their own right, a curling effort from the edge of the box and a clever chip over the goalkeeper, but it was the third goal that Bergkamp proclaimed as his best for the club. Running on to a pass with the ball dropping over his shoulder, he controlled it with the right foot, chipped a defender with his left foot and finished with a curling effort.

CARLES PUYOL
Carles Puyol Saforcada (born 13 April 1978) is a retired Spanish defender and an FC Barcelona club legend. Puyol joined the FC Barcelona youth system in 1995 and made his first team debut in 1999. Taking over as captain in 2004, Puyol led FC Barcelona to 6 league titles and many cup successes. He won exactly 100 caps for Spain which included a career highlight of winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Puyol retired in 2014 having made just shy of 600 first team appearances in FC Barcelona colours.

The Moment
Spain 1-0 Germany – World Cup 2010 Semi-FInal
Spain had a wealth of incredible attacking talent at the 2010 FIFA World Cup but it was defender Carles Puyol who scored the crucial goal in the semi-final against Germany. In the 73rd minute, he was so determined to meet a corner that he jumped in the way of team-mate Gerard Piqué, who had looked destined to head it. Thankfully for them both, Puyol made a perfect connection and powered a header into the top corner, sending Spain into their first ever FIFA World Cup final.

PETER SCHMEICHEL
Peter Schmeichel (born November 18 1963) is a retired Danish goalkeeper, and was voted the world’s best goalkeeper in 1992. He is best remembered for his successful time at Manchester United, where he helped lead the club to an unprecedented treble of league, league cup and European glory in 1999. He is a record setting goalkeeper and boasts a fine resume of awards and accolades, including the record for greatest clean sheets-to-game ratio in the English Premier League.

The Moment
Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich – Champions League Final 98/99
Late in May 1999, Peter Schmeichel captained Manchester United in his final game – the UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich. With the German side leading 1-0, Schmeichel kept his side in the game with a couple of saves that would prove crucial as United scored two quick-fire goals in injury time to secure the trophy. Schmeichel celebrated the winning goal with a cartwheel in an iconic moment. The victory meant Schmeichel finished his time at the club with a historic trophy treble.

LAURENT BLANC
Laurent Blanc (born November 19 1965) is a retired French footballer who is accredited with scoring the first ever golden goal in World Cup history. Blanc’s career spanned twenty years where he played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe and was a revered leader on the pitch, earning him the nickname Le Président. On the international stage, he successfully represented France at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2000 European championships, both tournaments ended with him successfully lifting the trophy. Blanc retired in 2003 after a spell with Manchester United.

The Moment
France 1-0 Paraguay – World Cup 1998 Round of 16
Laurent Blanc may have missed the 1998 FIFA World Cup final, but he was still a huge part of France’s success in the competition as he scored the first ever golden goal in World Cup history in the Round of 16. Drawing 0-0 with Paraguay and with the game seemingly heading for penalties, France were desperate for the winning goal and flooded the box. Defender Blanc, in the perfect poacher’s position, got on the end of a knock-down and calmly hit a low first-time shot into the back of the net.

MARCEL DESAILLY
Marcel Desailly (born 7 September 1968) was a defender and former national team record cap holder for France. He received 116 caps for his country and won both European Championship and World Cup winner’s medals. Desailly enjoyed European success with two different clubs in successive seasons with Marseille in 1993 and then Milan – where Fabio Capello converted him into a defensive midfielder, in 1994. After winning two Serie A titles in Italy, he made the move to Chelsea where he cemented his reputation as one of the best defensive players of the last 30 years.

The Moment
France 4-3 Italy – World Cup 1998 Quarter-Finals
In the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Marcel Desailly’s France faced Italy in the quarter-finals. Facing a strong Italian side, Desailly proved to the world his phenomenal defensive prowess. After 120 minutes of resolute defending and with the score deadlocked at 0-0, Les Bleus clawed their way into the semi-finals by beating Italy 3-4 in a nerve-racking penalty shootout to send the home crowd into euphoric celebrations.

STEVEN GERRARD
Steven Gerrard (born 30 May 1980 in Whiston) spent the majority of his playing career as a central midfielder for Liverpool, with most of that time spent as club captain, as well as captaining the England national team. A versatile and well-rounded player, highly regarded for his leadership, Gerrard is the only footballer in history to score in an FA Cup Final, a League Cup Final, a UEFA Cup Final and a UEFA Champions League Final, winning on each occasion.

The Moment
Liverpool FC 3-3 West Ham United – FA Cup Final 2006
Gerrard was in inspired form as Liverpool eventually overcame West Ham in a thrilling 2006 FA Cup final. With the Reds 2-0 down within half an hour, Gerrard responded with a pinpoint assist before levelling things up with a thunderous strike. A freak West Ham goal seemed to be the decider until Liverpool’s captain fantastic rescued the game with a sublime long-range effort in the dying moments. Liverpool went on to win on penalties, Gerrard converting his spot kick to top-off a heroic display.

PATRICK KLUIVERT
Patrick Kluivert (born 1 July 1976 in Amsterdam) was a Dutch striker who, with 40 goals, holds the record as the Netherlands all-time top goal scorer. Regarded as a technically gifted striker, Kluivert also possessed great strength and excelled when playing with his back to the goal. After winning the Eredivisie twice during three successful seasons with Ajax, Kluivert had a brief spell at AC Milan before moving to Barcelona where he really made his mark on the game. He scored 122 goals during his time at the Camp Nou and helped them to a La Liga title in 1999.

The Moment
Netherlands 6-1 Yugoslavia – Euro 2000 Quarter Final
Having stormed through the group stage at the 2000 UEFA Euros, the Oranje faced FR Yugoslavia in the quarters. Patrick Kluivert quickly found the net in spectacular fashion, showing great ball control after a brilliant one-two. He followed up with an equally sublime goal with a perfectly-timed run and clinical finish. Yugoslavia were stunned when Kluivert completed a remarkable hattrick early in the second half, with the match ending in a 6-1 victory.

MICHAEL LAUDRUP
Michael Laudrup (born 15 June 1964) is a retired Danish midfielder. Laudrup’s illustrious career saw him play for many top European clubs including Brøndby, Lazio, Juventus, Real Madrid, Ajax and perhaps most famously, Barcelona. It was at Barcelona where Laudrup was part of one of the greatest teams in history, and his time there saw him impressively win four consecutive La Liga titles in the early 1990’s. Laudrup made 104 appearances for the Denmark national team and scored 37 goals. The Danish player is one of the FIFA 19 Icons.

The Moment
FC Barcelona 1-0 Sampdoria – European Cup Final 1992
Michael Laudrup and FC Barcelona celebrated a historic moment winning their first major European trophy In the 1992 European Cup final, by beating Sampdoria 1-0 late in extra time. Laudrup proved crucial for Barça with his incredible tactical-intelligence as a False 9. Unselfish as he was, Laudrup utilized his sublime vision and masterful through balls to nearly assist Stoichkov twice. While his memorable performance didn’t lead to a goal, it remains a true highlight in his remarkable career.

ROBERT PIRÈS
Robert Pirès (born 29 October 1973 in Reims) is a former French winger who was widely regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders of his generation. He boasts winners’ medals from both the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championships in 2000, where he famously provided the assist in the final which secured France the title on Golden Goals. He is fondly remembered by Arsenal fans for his six year spell at the club which peaked with the team winning two Premier League titles in 2002 and 2004 – where Pirès was an integral member of Arsenal’s unbeaten ‘Invincibles’.

The Moment
Aston Villa 1-2 Arsenal – Premier League 01/02
If there is one goal that shows how great a player Robert Pirès was, it has to be his goal for Arsenal against Aston Villa in 2002. Receiving a bouncing ball on the edge of the penalty box, Pirès nonchalantly knocked the ball over the defender’s head using the outside of his right foot with his first touch. He only needed one other touch to beat the goalkeeper, letting the ball bounce twice and then gracefully lifting the ball over the goalkeeper’s head with the opposite side of the same foot

CLARENCE SEEDORF
Clarence Seedorf (born 1 April 1976 ) was a Surinamese-born Dutch professional football, regarded by many as one of the best midfielders of his generation. He won several domestic and continental titles while playing for clubs in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Brazil. He is also considered one of the most successful players in UEFA Champions League history, as he is the first, and currently the only, player to have won the Champions League with three clubs. At international level, he represented the Netherlands on 87 occasions, and took part at three UEFA European Football Championships (1996, 2000, 2004) and the 1998 FIFA World Cup, reaching the semi-finals of the latter three tournaments.

The Moment
AC Milan 3-1 Manchester United – Champions League Semi Final 2007
Having been in excellent form throughout Milan’s 2006-07 UEFA Champions League campaign, Clarence Seedorf’s biggest performance came in the second leg of the semi-final against Manchester United. Trailing 2-3 from the first leg, Seedorf assisted the opening goal before scoring with a well-placed volley for the second in a 3-0 win, helping the club reach the final. Seedorf’s performances throughout the campaign earned him the UEFA Best Midfielder award.

ALAN SHEARER
Alan Shearer (born 13 August 1970) is a retired English centre-forward. After a stunning debut for Southampton where Shearer scored a hat-trick, he made the move to big spending Blackburn Rovers in 1992 where he would later obtain a Premier League winners medal. A return home to his beloved Newcastle soon followed when Shearer joined for a world record fee of £15 million. Shearer retired in 2006 after scoring 206 goals for Newcastle to make him their highest ever goalscorer.

The Moment
Newcastle United 4-3 Leicester City – Premier League 96/97
Alan Shearer produced one of his finest footballing moments in February 1997, with Newcastle United trailing 1-3 at home to Leicester City in the Premier League and with just 13 minutes left on the clock. In the 77th minute he gave St James’ Park hope by reducing the deficit with a powerful free-kick from the edge of the box, before equalising in the 85th minute with a goal from just inside the area. Shearer completed a famous hattrick with a back-post tap-in to give Newcastle an unlikely victory.

DECO
Deco (born 27 August 1977) is a retired, Brazilian-born, Portuguese attacking midfielder. Despite his upbringing in Brazil, Deco ended up in Portugal at the age of 19 and soon joined Porto where he made his name on the world stage. After five highly successful years at Porto, Deco made a big money switch to Barcelona and was named Ballon d’Or runner up later that same year. After a later spell at Chelsea, Deco ended his career at Fluminense in his native Brazil. It looks that he will keep playing at least for another season, as one of the FIFA 19 Icons.

The Moment
AS Monaco 0-3 FC Porto – Champions League Final 2004
Deco was the key player for FC Porto in the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final against AS Monaco. Being marked closely, he soon began to find open spaces by drifting wide and stretching out the defence, showing sublime awareness. A deadly counter in the 71st minute left the opposition outsmarted, as Deco received the ball on the edge of the box, stopped his run, eyed the lower right corner and brilliantly finished to the left. Deco was named Man of the Match after helping beat Monaco 3-0.

LUÍS HERNÁNDEZ
Luis Hernández (born 22 December 1968) is a retired Mexican striker. During a career that spanned 15 seasons, Hernández scored 132 league goals in 362 appearances. Despite predominantly playing for various teams in his native Mexico, Hernández also spent time at LA Galaxy in the United States and a brief loan spell at Boca Juniors in Argentina. Named Mexican Player of the Year in 1997 and 1998, Hernández earned the nickname of ‘El Matador’ and played 85 times for his country, netting 35 goals. Retired in 2005 after a short stint at Lobos BUAP in Mexico.

The Moment
Mexico 2-2 Netherlands – World Cup 1998 Group Stage
Mexico played Netherlands in the final game in Group E in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Luis Hernández already had two goals to his name from Mexico’s opening match, but it was his goal against the Netherlands that was truly memorable. In the 94th minute, Hernandez latched on to a long ball which the Netherlands defence struggled to clear and, through sheer determination, he beat the goalkeeper on the stretch to prod home an equaliser and complete a two-goal comeback for Mexico.

EMMANUEL PETIT
Emmanuel Petit (born 22 September 1970) is a retired French midfielder. During his early career with Monaco, Petit often played in defence, but cemented his position at CDM shortly before joining Arsenal in 1997. Known for his hardworking performances in the middle of the park – and with a strong left foot, Petit won the double with Arsenal in 1998. He helped France lift both the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where he scored a memorable goal in the final against Brazil, and the Euro 2000 title. Petit joined Barcelona in the summer of 2000, but moved to Chelsea one year later before eventually retiring at the age of 35 after succumbing to injuries.

The Moment
France 3 – Brazil 0 – World Cup 1998 Final
After an impressive first period, France reached half-time of the 1998 FIFA World Cup final with a deserved 2-0 lead over star-studded Brazil. A red card threatened to change their fortunes, but Emmanuel Petit & co. dug deep to preserve the lead, the dynamic midfielder latching onto a through ball to score a well-struck left-footed effort to seal the victory late on to secure France’s maiden FIFA World Cup victory.