Adebayo Akinfenwa teases EAFC 26 return as FIFA cult hero makes ‘Beast Mode’ admission

EXCLUSIVE: FIFA cult hero Adebayo Akinfenwa was undoubtedly the strongest player in the game’s franchise, and has teased that ‘Beast Mode’ could be making a return to the game

FIFA cult hero Adebayo Akinfenwa teased ‘Beast Mode’ could return to the game franchise.

Akinfenwa became a legend in his own right when he shot to prominence on the football game, being undoubtedly the strongest player in the game during his career, that saw him bang in goals for the likes of Wimbledon, Wycombe and Northampton Town.

The formidable ex-striker, weighing 16st and standing 6ft 1in, coined the ‘Beast Mode’ personality and even received a Guinness World Record for his consistent dominance in the game.

Akinfenwa’s strength has been noticed outside of football too, as he was named Tony’s Chocolonely’s first official Bar Breaker, and exclusively told Daily Star Sport that fans should keep their eyes peeled in the new EAFC 26 game, which is released around the world on Thursday and on Friday in the UK, for ‘Beast Mode’.

He said: “I’m not going to try and give you a spoiler alert, but, technically, technically, I’m not in the game. Technically I ain’t been in the game since I’ve retired, I think. Can’t remember, it’s been three years now.

“So technically I’m not in the game, but we’ll watch this space to see if Beast Mode makes a kind of appearance.”

When pressed further, Akinfenwa still kept his cards close to his chest, replying: “I just said technically I ain’t in the game, you know, technically like I was unemployed when I needed a job, you know, technicals, you know, that would be flying around.

“But yeah, I’m not in the game technically, let’s watch this space!”

Akinfenwa first became a household name around the time of FIFA 12, 13 years ago, when he had a strength rating of 97 out of 99 despite being a bronze card. He was soon making TV appearances, including on Soccer AM, while also jetting off as a guest at events.

“I still now feel that not that I wasn’t ready but I just was unaware the power and influence of the game. I mean it put me to another stratosphere,” Akinfenwa said on his fame.

“I don’t know how much you would have known about me without FIFA, and listen, I know social media’s come and there’s more eyes on, the football pyramid, but I’m talking about the whole FIFA and especially the FUT (Ultimate Team) side of it and you know, the cards, the stats.

“I went places that I hadn’t been, I mean, I remember going to LA and getting stopped at the airport, and that was when I was like, oh wow, the community of FIFA is just humongous. It’s a world within this world.

“I feel like FIFA got me through doors because of this, the emergence of the whole gaming market, gaming industry.”

Akinfenwa’s strength rating hit a high of the maximum 99 in FIFA 17, a mark that hasn’t been matched before. He admitted that he was obsessed with keeping his place as the strongest footballer in the world.

“When you add that stats or competitive element, especially the speed, strength, skills. Bar strengths, I didn’t care about any other,” he continued.

“So then you start taking pride in that. After I knew I was the strongest, it was like, ‘well, ain’t nobody gonna take my crown, innit’, like this is mine.

“You’ll see it started really then playing a real front figure with footballers, you know, what’s my stats now? Have I gone up? Have I gone down?”

The Beast is motivating the nation to flex their thumb muscles to help more people enjoy more of the chunky, unequally divided bars with ease – ultimately bringing more people along on the brand’s mission to end exploitation in cocoa.

Find out more on the campaign and join the mission via the Tony’s Chocolonely Youtube here.