It’s been over ten years since the first FIFA game was released on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Since then, the series has featured yearly achievements (and as of 2008, PlayStation trophies), requiring players to complete a selection of in-game tasks of varying difficulty.
We’ve gone back through the history books to seek out the series’ most troublesome tests from the past decade. Are you one of the hardcore FIFA veterans who has completed them all? Take a look below to find out!
1. Football Legend (FIFA 08)
It was hard to become a Football Legend in FIFA 08
© EA Sports
Long-time FIFA fans may remember the series’ Challenge Mode, which required players to complete a set number of tasks to gain in-game rewards and Xbox 360 achievements. FIFA 08’s tenth and final set of scenarios made up the Football Legend accomplishment, forcing gamers to complete 10 nightmarish Legendary difficulty challenges. As if it wasn’t tough enough, the requirement to complete the previous nine regions before attempting this task proved a step too far for many.
2. Manager Merry-go-round (FIFA 08)
Another of FIFA 08’s ultra-tough achievements was Manager Merry-go-round. It tasked you with playing 15 years for 15 different clubs in 15 different countries throughout a single career in Manager Mode. Not only did this prove laborious due to the time commitment involved, but getting sacked resulted in a game-over scenario, so you couldn’t just simulate each season with the goal of finishing the challenge quickly.
3. Worldwide Legend / Ton Up (FIFA 08 / FIFA 10)
FIFA 10 featured some tough challenges
© EA Sports
Both FIFA 08 and FIFA 10 featured this lengthy task, forcing online competitors to win no less than 100 online ranked matches. It was more like 200 by the time you completed the challenge, as wins against players who quit mid-match weren’t counted. Unfortunately, there’s no way of going back to complete either of these challenges any more due to the online servers for both games being deactivated a few years ago.
4. Duo-Hedgeidecimal (FIFA 09)
FIFA 09 was the first game in the series to introduce Pro Clubs – a revolutionary addition allowing players to group together and play 10 vs 10 (eventually 11 vs 11) encounters with their created teams.
In actuality, very few clubs adopted the maximum of ten players, choosing instead to group with two or three of their mates. This made completing Duo-Hedgeidecimal a particularly tough challenge, as it required 20 players to enter a Pro Clubs lobby at once.
5. Resource King (FIFA 10)
FUT was still DLC in FIFA 10
© EA Sports
Back in the days when Ultimate Team was still a DLC add-on, Resource King challenged players to open a massive 500 packs in EA’s ultra-popular mode. If you weren’t loaded with real-life cash, the only choice was to grind it out, earning hundreds of thousands of in-game coins via games and marketplace trading. For a measly 50 Gamerscore points or Silver trophy, the continuous spamming of Bronze packs was hardly worth it.
6. Time For A Testimonial / Virtual Legend (FIFA 10 / FIFA 11)
FIFA 10 was the first game in the series to introduce the Virtual Pro feature, enabling fans to create a custom player for use in modes such as Pro Club Championship and Be A Pro: Seasons.
In an apparent bid to highlight the new feature, Time For A Testimonial and Virtual Legend tasked players with completing a mammoth 500 games with their new personalised star. The math equates to just over 65 hours at four minutes per-half, suiting only the most diehard of FIFA fans.
7. Adidas Golden Shoe (2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa)
Where are the vuvuzelas?
© EA Sports
The official game of the 2010 World Cup enabled players to compete together in an Online World Cup, with only the very best progressing to the final itself. The adidas Golden Shoe challenge tasked players with scoring 10 goals or more with one player in this mode, theoretically awarding them the Golden Shoe (or Golden Boot). With no guarantees regarding the quality of opponent you faced, this task could prove particularly tough for less-skilled players.
8. Against All Odds (2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa)
If you thought scoring 10 goals was tough, this task was something else! Against All Odds required players to win the Online World Cup with a ½ star – 1 star team. It forced you to take national sides such as American Samoa and the Faroe Islands into online competition against the likes of Spain, Brazil and Germany, all the while suffering from terrible pace, insufficient skill and horrendous finishing. It’s arguably the most difficult achievement/trophy in the series’ history.
9. Growing Club / I Love This Club (FIFA 12 / FIFA 13)
Chelsea taking on Arsenal in FIFA 12
© EA Sports
If you were an Ultimate Team fanatic back in 2011 and 2012, you wouldn’t have found this challenge to be too difficult. It was a niggling nightmare for everyone else, forcing players to raise their FUT club values to 85 million or above. Opening packs and trading smartly on the marketplace was the goal, but without the advent of today’s SBC challenges and mass of special cards, it wasn’t all that easy.
10. The Invincibles / Trial of Power (FIFA 16 / FIFA 17)
It’s safe to say that FIFA’s achievements and trophies have eased off dramatically over the past few years. The biggest challenge has come in the form of The Invincibles and Trial Of Power, requiring players to win all four games in an online FUT Draft series. The 15,000 coin entry fee makes this a potentially costly task, while winning four games in a row against skilled opposition can prove tougher than anticipated.
