Messi, Neymar and Pogba join Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in leaked images and follow other sport video game crossovers including Kane in Fortnite, Joshua on FIFA, Fury's UFC cameo and Ronaldo teaming up with a troll
David Craig
Updated on April 07, 2026
Lionel Messi and Neymar have become the latest sporting icons to cross over into the video game world.
The Paris Saint-Germain pair join Paul Pogba in the recently released of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
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The football trio have been revealed as new operators for the next instalment of the first-person shooter.
Leaked images of Neymar and Pogba have since been published online, with the duo and Messi set to arrive as characters players with each carrying their own unique abilities.
For Messi and Pogba, this will mark the first time they have been immortalised in the video game world outside of footballing franchises like FIFA.
Neymar however is no stranger to digital crossovers.
Previously the Brazil superstar has been issued his own playable skin in Fortnite.
But it's a further example of sports continuing blend with the video game world highlighted most by some of these recent cameos...
Most read in Football
FIFA
Anthony Joshua is an avid FIFA player, once trolling Jesse Lingard after using Liverpool to beat the Nottingham Forest star on FIFA 21.
It was on that game where AJ made a cameo appearance alongside seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton and NBA star Joel Embiid in the Volta mode.
"I used to play FIFA until it affected boxing," Joshua once told The Sun.
"I had to stop playing because it affected my sleep and recovery. I could stay up till five in the morning playing it, get up at seven and train. That's how mad it was, it wasn't healthy."
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UFC 4
Not content with just showing up on FIFA, Joshua also relished the chance to join the likes of Bruce Lee and Mike Tyson in joining the UFC roster.
"Fighting is what I have dedicated myself to. No matter the stage or opponent, I'll always back myself," Joshua said.
"My character in UFC 4 will be no different. I'm looking forward to picking up the controller and dominating UFC 4."
Fans may never get the chance to see Joshua face Tyson Fury in the ring, but they can have them face off in the Octagon.
"I have a lot of respect for the UFC fighters but I'm the greatest fighter in the world," Fury added.
"It's going to be exciting to watch players use my boxing skills to outshine the most talented MMA fighters in UFC 4."
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Fortnite
Harry Kane admitted a Fortnite craze hit the England squad during the World Cup 2018 but it was another three years before the striker entered the game himself.
The Tottenham hero followed Neymar in being issued a playable skin in the battle-royale smash alongside Marco Reus ahead of Euro 2020.
In addition to the footballing trio, Fortnite have also ushered in a wave of other sporting stars including LeBron James.
WWE pair John Cena and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson are also involved, while NFL ace Patrick Mahomes has his own skin as well.
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Mortal Kombat
WWE SmackDown Women's Champion and former UFC star Ronda Rousey is a gaming fanatic, regularly playing World of Warcraft.
The 35-year-old admitted Hollywood actor Vin Diesel was the one to show her the ropes during filming for Furious 7.
She told Digital Spy: “I mentioned to Vin Diesel's sister that I started playing WoW and she was like, 'No way, Vin's gonna love you. He's been playing WoW forever.’”
“So we would actually meet up after filming to play WoW and he actually showed me the light. He was like, 'Oh you dear, sweet angel, let me show you how to move with the mouse.'"
Despite this, it's actually as the voice of Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat 11 where Rousey has left a permanent mark on gaming.
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WWE
Iron Mike Tyson is in WWE's Hall of Fame after his legendary run with Vince McMahon's company in the late 1990s.
Their decision to have him feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin, the biggest box office attraction in wrestling history, was the magic that led to WWE defeating WCW in the ratings war.
Even better, fans had the chance to play out the rivalry themselves in WWE '13 when that game was released back in 2012.
Speaking of WWE greats, the Undertaker has been keen to take advantage of one of wrestling's greatest characters since his retirement.
And the Deadman was among the superstars joining the quirky battle royale Fall Guys ahead of Summerslam 2022.
Read More on talkSPORT
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Ronaldo & Hugo: Superstar Skaters
Back in 2015, the Portugal icon took a dip into the world of mobile gaming and linked up with Hugo the Troll.
It was an 'endless runner' game but fair to say it wasn't a runaway success...
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