EA Sports has stirred up the football gaming community with its latest player ratings for the highly anticipated release of FC25, set to launch later this month. In a surprising move, Lionel Messi, one of the game’s perennial top-rated players, has seen a significant drop in his rating, marking the lowest score he’s received in 16 years. This downgrade reflects the impact of his transfer to Major League Soccer (MLS) last year, a move that has influenced his virtual standing as much as his real-life career.
The new ratings were unveiled in a social media post by EA Sports, showcasing the top 25 players in FC25. Leading the list are familiar faces: Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid, Erling Haaland of Manchester City, and Manchester City’s defensive stalwart Rodri. All three players share an identical top rating of 91, cementing their status as the game’s elite. Notably, Rodri’s rating is a record for a defensive midfielder, highlighting his pivotal role in Manchester City’s recent successes.
Messi’s rating drop from 90 to 88 is particularly striking. This new rating is the lowest Messi has received since 2008, a stark contrast to the heights he reached during his prime years at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The downgrade reflects his transition to MLS and the perception that his move to a less competitive league has diminished his influence on the global stage.
While Messi’s downgrade has grabbed headlines, another significant development is the meteoric rise of Jude Bellingham. The Real Madrid midfielder, who graces the cover of FC25, has seen his rating jump from 86 to 90. This upgrade reflects Bellingham’s rapid ascent in the football world, particularly following his high-profile transfer to Real Madrid last year. His performances since joining the Spanish giants have earned him widespread acclaim, making him one of the most coveted players in both the real and virtual worlds.
The ratings reveal a strong representation from the Premier League and LaLiga, with 11 and 10 players from each league, respectively, making the top 25. The Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A, and MLS each have one representative in the list. Among them, Harry Kane, who now plays for Bayern Munich, is the lone Bundesliga player with a rating of 90. Gianluigi Donnarumma of PSG represents Ligue 1 with a rating of 89, Lautaro Martinez of Inter Milan holds the Serie A flag with the same score, and Messi, despite his downgrade, remains the highest-rated player from MLS.
In the Premier League, Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk retains his position as the top-rated defender with an 89 rating, continuing his reign as one of the game’s most formidable defenders. Lautaro Martinez’s rating upgrade to 89 also caught attention, especially as his card features EA Sports’ improvised Inter Milan logo, following the club’s exclusive deal with Konami, a rival game developer.
EA Sports also released a corresponding list for female players, where Aitana Bonmati emerged as the top-rated player for the first time, matching the 91 rating held by Mbappe, Haaland, and Rodri. Bonmati’s rise comes at the expense of her Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas, who was previously the highest-rated female player but has now been downgraded to 90. Despite the drop, Putellas remains among the top-tier players, sharing the 90 rating with Caroline Graham Hansen and Chelsea’s Sam Kerr.
One of the notable oversights in the female player ratings is Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw. Despite being the Women’s Super League (WSL) player of the year, Shaw did not receive an upgrade in her rating. She is currently ranked fifth behind Sam Kerr (90), Beth Mead (88), Guro Reiten (88), and Lauren Hemp (86), a decision that has raised some eyebrows among fans.
The full list of the top-rated male players in FC25 is as follows:
1. Kylian Mbappe – 91
2. Erling Haaland – 91
3. Rodri – 91
4. Jude Bellingham – 90
5. Vinicius Jr. – 90
6. Kevin De Bruyne – 90
7. Harry Kane – 90
8. Martin Odegaard – 89
9. Alisson Becker – 89
10. Gianluigi Donnarumma – 89
11. Thibaut Courtois – 89
12. Lautaro Martinez – 89
13. Virgil van Dijk – 89
14. Mohamed Salah – 89
15. Marc-André ter Stegen – 89
16. Phil Foden – 88
17. Antoine Griezmann – 88
18. Rúben Dias – 88
19. Robert Lewandowski – 88
20. Lionel Messi – 88
21. Federico Valverde – 88
22. Ederson Moraes – 88
23. Bernardo Silva – 88
24. Jan Oblak – 88
25. Antonio Rüdiger – 88
This year’s FC25 ratings reflect the shifting landscape of global football, with new stars emerging and established legends like Messi beginning to wind down their careers. As fans eagerly await the game’s release, these ratings will undoubtedly spark debate and discussion, reflecting the ever-evolving nature of football.
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