Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech is shown negotiating a new contract while wearing his protective helmet in FIFA 19, a glitch that has amused fans on social media ahead of the game's release.
Cech wears the headgear during matches following a serious collision with Reading's Stephen Hunt in 2006, but has no need for it away from the pitch. Despite this, the Career Mode feature still shows him in the helmet while sitting down for contract talks.
Cech responds on Twitter
The glitch was first spotted by an eagle-eyed social media user, whose tweet quickly went viral. Cech himself then joined the conversation, posting on Twitter: "It's wrong guys.. I'd wear a tie."
The tweet, shared on September 27, 2018, prompted hundreds of replies filled with jokes and memes about the goalkeeper's in-game appearance.
One reply showed a close-up image of Cech in his helmet on the game, captioned: "When you know you have a hard night of drinking ahead of you with your buddies at the bar." Another user compared his virtual agent to Prince Charles, asking why Cech was negotiating with him. A user called AZ criticised the game's developers, writing: "Such lazy, lazy game development lol."
Why Cech wears the helmet
Speaking in 2015, Cech admitted the helmet is sometimes uncomfortable during matches. "I would be more confident if I had it off," he said. "If you like it or not, the helmet affects your surroundings. You have your ears covered and it makes hearing worse. But the doctor has forbidden me to take off the helmet. If I did, I would not pay insurance."
FIFA 19 release details
FIFA 19 is due for release in the UK on September 28 and features Cristiano Ronaldo as its cover star. The Juventus forward is the game's top-rated player at 94, alongside Barcelona's Lionel Messi. Kevin De Bruyne, David De Gea and Eden Hazard, all rated 91, are listed as the best Premier League players in the game.