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Chapter 119: Fifa Cards
🕑 Added 2025-02-02 03:19:42 +0000 UTCSeptember 14, 2014 – Belvoir Drive Training Ground
Tristan pulled into Leicester City’s training ground, his blue Land Rover rolling into its usual spot. It was a crisp morning, the kind that made waking up for training feel a little easier. Checking his watch—8:30 AM—he grabbed his bag and headed inside.
After changing into his training kit, he made his way to the canteen, where the scent of toast, eggs, and coffee filled the air. A few players were scattered around, eating quietly or chatting. As he sat down with his plate, a familiar voice interrupted him.
"Morning, Tristan! Congrats on the win yesterday!"
Tristan looked up to see Dan Walker, one of the club’s marketing coordinators, standing beside the table. He was in his usual club tracksuit, clipboard in hand, looking every bit the part of a man juggling a dozen things at once.
Tristan swallowed his bite of food and gave him a nod. "Morning, Dan. Cheers, it was a good one."
Dan grinned. "Good one? You scored a banger, set up Ulloa, and got Man of the Match. That’s more than just ‘good’!"
Tristan chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Alright, alright. It felt great."
Dan didn’t waste time. "Listen, after breakfast, head over to the media room. You, Jamie, and Riyad are needed for a FIFA promo shoot."
Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Promo? For what?"
Dan checked his clipboard. "It’s a FIFA 15 ratings reveal. You’ll be guessing each other’s stats before we show your official ratings."
Tristan took another bite of toast and shrugged. "Didn’t expect to start my morning like this, but sounds fun."
The media room was already buzzing when Tristan walked in. Bright lights were set up, cameras positioned in front of a table covered with black cloth—underneath, three FIFA 15 player cards lay face down, hiding their ratings.
Vardy and Mahrez were already there, waiting.
Vardy leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head, and grinned when he spotted Tristan. "Ah, look who decided to show up. Took your time, didn’t you?"
Tristan smirked, dropping his bag onto a chair. "Wanted to give you a head start, old man."
Mahrez chuckled, shaking his head. "Vardy’s been sweating over this rating thing since we got here."
Vardy scoffed. "Mate, FIFA did me dirty last year. 67 overall. If they haven’t upgraded me properly, we’re having words."
Tristan laughed, taking his seat. "What do we reckon then? Big jump?"
Vardy grinned. "If they don’t give me at least 85 pace, I’m walking out."
The producer, a woman with a headset and a no-nonsense look, clapped her hands. "Alright, lads, let’s get started. You’ll guess each other’s ratings, then we’ll reveal the cards."
The three of them leaned forward, looking at the covered cards like kids about to open Christmas presents.
The producer turned to Tristan and Mahrez. "Let’s start with Jamie. What do you think his overall rating is?"
Tristan rubbed his chin. "Hmm… last year, you were 67, yeah? I’ll say… 74."
Mahrez nodded. "72. His pace is good, but they probably still don’t rate him properly."
Vardy smirked. "If it’s lower than 70, I’m tearing that card in half."
The producer flipped over Vardy’s card:
Jamie Vardy – FIFA 15 (Silver Card)
OVR: 72
Pace: 86
Dribbling: 73
Shooting: 72
Passing: 60
Defending: 40
Physical: 72
Vardy jumped out of his chair. "86 PACE?! Yes! FINALLY!"
Tristan burst out laughing. "Mate, they’ve basically said you’re fast and nothing else."
Mahrez smirked. "60 passing? That’s an insult."
Vardy waved them off. "Don’t care, I’m a pace merchant now. Long balls over the top all day!"
The producer moved on. "Alright, what about Riyad?"
Vardy scratched his chin. "He’s tricky on the ball, but he’s still under the radar. I’ll say 75."
Tristan thought for a moment. "73. They always lowball the creative players."
The producer flipped over Mahrez’s card:
Riyad Mahrez – FIFA 15 (Silver Card)
OVR: 74
Pace: 85
Dribbling: 80
Shooting: 72
Passing: 72
Defending: 32
Physical: 60
Mahrez sighed dramatically. "Man… 74? They still don’t rate me!"
Vardy patted his back. "Hey, at least you got 85 pace. You can join me in the sprinting club."
Tristan grinned. "I’ll be honest, Riyad—you’re still the guy I spam skill moves with in Career Mode."
Mahrez laughed. "At least someone appreciates my talent!"
The producer smirked. "Alright, now for Tristan. Jamie, Riyad—any guesses?"
Vardy folded his arms. "Easy. 82."
Mahrez raised an eyebrow. "82? Nah, I’ll say 80."
Tristan exhaled, feeling a little nervous. "You lot are too generous. I’m guessing 78."
The producer revealed his card.
Tristan Hale – FIFA 15 (Gold Card)
OVR: 84
Pace: 86
Dribbling: 85
Shooting: 80
Passing: 89
Defending: 54
Physical: 67
Vardy and Mahrez both jumped out of their seats. "EIGHTY-FOUR?!"
Tristan blinked at the card. "Wait… what?!"
He stared at his FIFA 15 player card, the glossy gold background reflecting the lights in the media room. At just 19 years old, an overall rating of 84 was beyond impressive. He had expected a solid number, maybe high 70s, but 84? That put him among the best young players in the world.
Still, he couldn't help but analyze his stats. His 89 passing was his strongest attribute, though in his mind, it should’ve been at least 90. But then he reminded himself—even Pirlo and Xavi, two of the greatest passers of all time, only had 91 passing in the game. Fabregas was rated the same as him in that department, which felt like a massive compliment. And when he realized that his passing was higher than Xabi Alonso, Modric, and David Silva, he grinned.
Vardy grabbed it, laughing. "Mate, you’re rated higher than half the England squad!"
Mahrez nudged him. "You’re the highest-rated player at Leicester. FIFA thinks you’re our star."
Tristan ran a hand through his hair, still processing it. "Honestly… I’ll take it. But 67 physical? Come on."
Vardy checked the card again and burst out laughing. "Nah, they got that spot on."
Tristan rolled his eyes. "Of course you’d say that."
After the shoot, Tristan snapped a selfie, holding up his gold FIFA card while showing a 2-0 scoreline from their FIFA match.
He posted it to Twitter & Instagram, captioning:
"First-ever FIFA card! Thanks @EASPORTSFIFA, this one's special! ⚽🔥 #FIFA15 #DreamComeTrue"
Within minutes, his notifications exploded.
Fans flooded the comments:
"84 already?! Future Ballon d'Or winner!"
"Nahhh, EA did you dirty with 67 physical."
"89 passing is mad. Best playmaker in England."
Even Leicester City’s Twitter reposted it with:
"Foxes’ highest-rated player in FIFA 15? 👀 No surprises here. #TristanHale #LCFC"
Vardy nudged Tristan. "84-rated already. Next year, you’re pushing 90."
Tristan chuckled. "Let’s not get carried away."
With the promo shoot done, the next event on the schedule was something more relaxed—playing FIFA 15 themselves.
The staff had set up a PlayStation 4 in the media room. A table in front of them held three controllers, while three chairs were pulled up for Tristan, Vardy, and Mahrez.
Vardy was the first to grab a controller, spinning it in his hands with a competitive smirk. "Alright, lads, let’s settle this. We all pick Leicester, yeah?"
Tristan cracked his knuckles, his confidence evident. "Hope you’re ready to lose, Jamie."
Mahrez chuckled, reclining in his chair. "Oh, he’s talking big already. Let’s see if his in-game version is as good as the real one."
Vardy squinted at the screen, then turned to Tristan. "Wait—who’s got the highest rating?"
Tristan leaned back with a smug grin. "Take a wild guess."
Mahrez scoffed. "Of course, it’s him. Gold card and everything."
Vardy groaned. "Brilliant. Guess I’ll be hoofing long balls to virtual Tristan, then."
The camera crew chuckled as the players loaded up their teams.
Vardy played aggressively, sending long balls over the top, trying to exploit his 86 pace.
It didn’t work.
Tristan controlled possession, virtual Tristan ran the midfield, dictating the tempo, scoring twice, and setting up another in a 3-1 victory.
Vardy dropped his controller onto his lap. "Right. This game is rigged."
…..
Mahrez relied on his dribbling, keeping the ball in tight spaces, trying to break through.
Still, virtual Tristan was too dominant—spraying passes, intercepting attacks, and curling in a beauty from 25 yards to win 2-0.
Mahrez threw his hands up in disbelief. "Alright, this is nonsense. Why is your in-game version so OP?"
Vardy pointed at the camera crew. "That’s it. I’m calling EA. This man has a secret cheat code."
Tristan shrugged, grinning. "What can I say? Single guys have more time for FIFA."
Mahrez smirked. "Or maybe EA just loves you more than us."
The staff wrapped up the session, laughing as they packed up the console and cameras.
As Tristan walked into the locker room with his card in hand, the FIFA rating reveal had already spread.
Andy waved him over, shaking his head. "84 overall?! Mate, you’re officially our highest-rated player."
Danny leaned over to check the card. "And only 89 passing? EA must be blind."
Paul Konchesky laughed, tossing his boots into his locker. "Should be at least 90."
Wes Morgan pointed at the card, amused. "And why is your dribbling only 85? They clearly haven’t watched you in training."
The loudest reaction came from Lingard.
A massive FIFA fan, Lingard snatched Tristan’s card, inspecting it like a rare Ultimate Team collectible.
"Bro… 84 overall? Already?!"
His own rating last year had been a 63, and seeing Tristan’s gold card made him feel like he was in the wrong sport.
Tristan smirked, crossing his arms. "I guess EA rates me highly."
Lingard shook his head, laughing. "I need to start passing you the ball more. Maybe my rating will go up next year."
Tristan chuckled. "Maybe or get better.”
…….
Okay, not gonna lie, this chapter was rushed as fuck, I was too busy the entire day. I will edit this chapter tomorrow, so if they are mistakes do let me know or if you guys have any suggestions, put it in the comments.
And thank you as always.
Comments
l K
hes gonna need an 88 overall and up in the next one
Jerôme
Tftc. It's always funny seeing their interaction. What will you rate his second one in FIFA 16?
