It’s official, one of Australia’s greatest Socceroos is coming back to FIFA. FIFA 23 brings Harry Kewell back in the form of a hero card in FIFA Ultimate Team, which is designed to celebrate cult heroes who made a big impact in the real game.
I was able to sit down (virtually) with the man himself and talk about his return to FIFA, his current leadership role at Celtic and what he expects from the coming season of the wonderful game.
How does it feel to return to FIFA as a playable character? You’ve been gone for about eight years now!
Harry Kewell: It feels great and yes, you’re right – I’ve been out of the game for a while. I used to play it too. You always saw your stats and they caused a lot of problems with the players. I mean, you’d hear “you’re never as fast as that – I’m faster than you! Well, I can do this, I can do that…” So you’re always fighting to see who has the best stats.
But they always made me good enough in the FIFA games. I have to say that even when I was younger I was a big gamer and loved playing it. I’ll put it there – I’d play myself and I’d make me the star man. I would have everything under control and I would still try to do everything like I did in games because I always wanted to have the ball.
Now that I’m out of the game and can now be back in the game, it shows the support that FIFA has given me, to now bring me back as a special character – as a hero – it’s beautiful. It’s a great feeling.
How has the process been? Did the team get you to do something funky while getting you back in the game?
Harry Kewell: Well, in this world we live in now, they can make [in-game characters] pretty identical to what you actually look like. I’m on a strict diet now, as you can clearly see [laughs]. The great thing is that they focused on what I was really good at in the game, which was my passing. I could do a lot with the ball. I could control many things if I had the ball at my feet. And I think that’s what they captured in it: the fact that if you play me as a hero, I can do some pretty cool stuff.
It must be a nice feeling to know that you are now effectively immortalized? Hero cards, legend cards… they’re there for a reason. You have had a huge impact on the game. It’s the best way EA Sports can really reward you, right?
Harry Kewell: That’s right. Because we’re competitors and footballers, and some of us always try to keep going, keep going, keep going. Sometimes we forget what we have done. Do we all have the perfect career? No, we don’t. We always have moments where we go “we could have done that better” or “if only I hadn’t” or “if only I had that”. Sometimes you can remember that and kind of forget the good moments.
There are only a few really good moments. And so it’s nice that FIFA looked at it and went, “well, no, he was a big part of football.” Going abroad from Australia especially at a young age and coming to England to compete at the highest level. To be able to sit here now and, as I said, be a part of it. My son plays it too – I played occasionally and he hit me [laughs]! Now he’s 21…and he can turn around and say, “Look, that’s my father.”
Like I said, it’s a nice gesture. It’s not a small thing, it’s a big thing. But for me it’s something that I can go back and go, wow, well, I’ve done well in the football game.
Have they told you what your rating is yet? Or is that still a secret?
Harry Kewell: No, they haven’t. It’s still a secret, but I’m sure it’s 99.
You said you used to play FIFA, used to – who’s your favorite team?
Harry Kewell: You used to play mostly against national teams, right? That’s what I would play. You always played against the Brazilian team because they had Ronaldo and he was incredible. I loved AC Milan, but of course I always played like Liverpool.
So I used to play like Liverpool and Leeds because I enjoyed them. I’ve never really played against many other English teams. And even in today’s games I know there are a lot of quality players. But I don’t think you can really go wrong with Liverpool as they are quite powerful in all areas. So I think that’s the team I usually go for.
I hate to say it, but my son is a Chelsea fan… so he always picks them. So that’s why we have that little bit of rivalry.
Surely that must hurt a bit to know he’s supporting a different team than the one you played for?
Harry Kewell: Well, he has four uncles and three of them are Chelsea fans. So when I was playing and because he was still young, he never really came out to watch. When I didn’t focus, they got in him and gave him all the jerseys and everything. Before I knew it, I was looking at him and he was walking around wearing a Chelsea shirt! And then it’s just kept. But we have a nice joke about it.
What other Socceroos would you like to see as heroes or legends in future games? Who else do you think should be?
Harry Kewell: There are so many, but I’m not going to lie because he’s one of the best players I’ve played with. Not just for my club, but for my country – it’s always [Mark] Viduka.
I think he would be sensational. You could also have fun creating his character as he was one of the strongest players I played with. As far as you see a lot of strikers now, they can handle one central half, while he can handle two. This allowed me to do a lot of my work around him.
For a big man who could handle two defenders, he was also very light-footed. He was a fantastic player.
You are now a first team coach at Celtic, of course, with Ange [Postecoglou]. How does it feel to be reunited with an Aussie?
Harry Kewell: You know what? Even though we’re Aussies, I don’t want to think about it that way. Because I want to think he got me there to help me become a better coach and I don’t want to learn from an Aussie – I want to learn from a great manager. He’s the best manager in Australia, I think, right? And he is starting to work his way into becoming a great European manager. That’s what I’m there to learn.
To also have an input. It’s fun. Whether that’s accepted or not… that’s completely different. But you have to be able to throw yourself out there and expect that you won’t always be right. You assume that you will be challenged. I have always liked that as a player and as a coach. I would always ask questions of my staff and I would always ask questions of my coaches. Whether I’m right or not, I’d argue the point. As long as you can argue, it’s fine.
You managed it for a few years in England and now you’re at Celtic. It’s clearly a huge, huge club – very, very passionate fans. It’s all about their results. How has it been?
Harry Kewell: I think it’s hard to compare [the two different types of atmospheres] because they are both incredible in their own way.
When we showed up for the first game against Aberdeen… I’ve never seen this as I’ve never been part of a team that won the title, but they’re making this long path where all the fans are off and they’re all the torches and all flags out, and everyone sings. The captain comes out and the manager walks out. Then you see the whole team walking out and everyone singing. That was the opening game of the season and even I was like, “Wow, this is cool!”
I’m used to it but I’ve loved it [for some time]. And I’m like, damn it. It’s great because as a player I probably would have been wearing headphones, concentrating on the game and not really paying attention to it. Whereas right now I could just put on a cap and say “yeah, this is great.”
You have also seized this opportunity to advance your career. In the long run, where do you hope this step will take you?
Harry Kewell: You know what? I’d like to say, oh no, this is what I want. But I’m just going to enjoy the moment.
I want to learn as much as possible. And I’ve already learned three or four valuable things that I would do if given the chance [to manage] again. All I need to understand is that I love coaching. I even said this when I was the manager. I said “my office is not an office – my office is my pitch.” That’s why I love my job, and I could stay there from eight o’clock to five o’clock in the evening, or ten o’clock in the evening. That’s what I love.
I could sit there for hours, talking to players, showing them off [things], busy with things. That’s what I like to do. So I want to enjoy that, because the facilities here are fantastic.
Okay, time for predictions! Who will win the Premier League this year?
Harry Kewell: Manchester City. I hate to say it. I hate to say it.
Best low season signing?
Harry Kewel: [Erling] Halland.
Who do you tip to win the Champions League?
Harry Kewell: I’m going to say Liverpool. I was just watching Trent [Alexander-Arnold] recently and he has already played three finals of the European Cup. They just have something. Klopp just has something.
Who do you think will win the World Cup this year?
Harry Kewell: I’m going to get a lot of support for this, but I actually think England have a great opportunity. I just think about what they’ve done and what Gareth Southgate has done in recent tournaments and how it’s gotten better and better. You know? They have the players.
How do you think the Socceroos will fare at the World Cup?
Harry Kewell: I want them to enjoy it. I think it’s going to be hard, I’m not going to lie. We are currently going through a different phase and I feel for them because everyone always compares them to the last World Cup [team] and the World Cup [team] therefor. The boys should just go out and enjoy it. You never know what will happen. They will work hard and that is all you could ever ask of a team.
FIFA 23 will launch on September 30, 2022 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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