Alright, let’s talk about playing with the international teams in FC 24. Got the game not long ago, and one of the first things I wanted to do, like I always do, was check out the national squads.
First Look and Finding the Teams
So, I fired up the game and started poking around the menus. You know how it is, trying to find where everything lives in a new game. Went straight for the Kick-Off mode, ’cause that’s the easiest way to just grab two teams and have a go.
Finding the international section wasn’t too hard. Just scrolled past all the club leagues. And there they were, Men’s and Women’s national teams.
What I Noticed Straight Away
Okay, here’s the thing. There’s a decent number of teams, don’t get me wrong. You got your Englands, your Frances, Germanys, Brazils, Argentinas… the big names are mostly there. But scrolling through, I did notice some gaps. And yeah, some teams felt a bit… generic? Like, the kits weren’t quite right, or maybe the badges looked a bit off. Noticed Brazil, for example, didn’t seem to have all the familiar player names I expected. It’s something I’ve seen before in these games, but still a bit jarring when you just want the real deal.
Also checked out the Women’s teams. Good selection there too, seemed pretty solid with the big tournament winners and contenders.
Playing a Few Matches
Decided to jump into a game. Picked England, my usual go-to, against Germany. Classic matchup, right?
The gameplay itself felt just like the rest of FC 24, which is fine. Smooth enough, players moving okay. The atmosphere felt a bit different than a club match, maybe less intense than, say, a Premier League game in the game. Player faces were a mixed bag, some looked spot on, others… well, you could tell who they were supposed to be, mostly.
Played a few more games with different nations. Italy vs France, Argentina vs Brazil (with the slightly off names, but hey). It was fun for a quick match, definitely good to have the option.
Trying International Management (Sort Of)
Then I thought, what about Career Mode? Can I manage a national team? So, I started a manager career. You have to manage a club first, obviously. Then you start getting offers from international teams after a while.
It took some time before offers started trickling in. Got offered a job managing a smaller nation first. Took it to see what it was like.
- The management side is pretty basic. You pick squads for qualifiers or tournaments.
- You play the games, which are spread out between your club duties.
- It felt a bit disconnected from my main club job, more like a side-gig.
Honestly, it felt a bit tacked on. There wasn’t much depth to it. No real build-up or proper tournament feel like you’d hope for. You just play the games when they come up. It works, but it’s not something I got massively invested in. Miss the days when you could just play a full World Cup mode straight from the main menu.
Final Thoughts
So, yeah. The international teams are in FC 24. You can play with them in Kick-Off, and you can manage them in Career Mode, kinda.
Is it amazing? Nah, not really. It feels a bit like an afterthought compared to the focus on clubs and Ultimate Team (which I don’t really touch). The licensing stuff is a bit annoying, and the international management in Career Mode is pretty barebones.
But, it’s there. For a quick game with national squads, it does the job. Just don’t expect a super deep or fully authentic international football experience. It’s decent for what it is, but I kinda wish they’d give it a bit more love.
