Two all-time greats have consistently topped EA Sports' rating cards, with Portuguese and Argentine icons dominating all forms of the game.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the football world for well over a decade, with a combined total of 12 Ballons d'Or. The Argentine and Portuguese superstars have enjoyed a duopoly not only in the real world, but their extraordinary skill sets have also allowed them to cement legendary standings in virtual realms.
FIFA players have long sought to exploit the speed, power, and goal-scoring abilities of two all-time greats, with their place at the top of any EA Sports pecking order assumed, but how have their stat cards compared?
Turning back the clock to FIFA 06, Ronaldo was still a year away from his first 20-goal season at Manchester United, a streak that has never been broken since, and his remarkable consistency on the field was beginning to be mirrored off it in a gaming world.
A man with five Golden Balls has only dipped below a 90 overall rating on his base card three times, while various mid-season upgrades have consistently carried him to the peak of a 99 rating.
Ronaldo's numbers have begun to fall slightly as he approaches his late 30s, but he remains one of the best in the business and an addition that no Ultimate Team should be without.
Messi was still a starry-eyed youngster at Barcelona in 2006, only just beginning to cement a regular starting spot with La Liga heavyweights.
It did not take long for the South American's full potential to be recognized, with FIFA numbers increasing from 78 to 90 in four editions.
He had surpassed eternal rival Ronaldo by FIFA 10 and has only dipped below the Portuguese on two occasions since - when his own base card was still a stunning 93 - but it remains to be seen what the future holds after his slow start to life at PSG.
Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo Who has dominated FIFA stats history?
Messi and Ronaldo have become the Holy Grail in FUT packs across the last 17 FIFA releases, with the concept first introduced in FIFA 09, and they appear to be in no hurry to hand over their crowns to the next generation.
Others will inevitably reach similar heights at some point, with ratings in the 90s always available, but it is highly unlikely that two stars will ever shine as brightly for as long again.
Ronaldo has a slight advantage in cumulative stat scores dating back to FIFA 06, but that is because he is a couple of years older and burst onto the global stage sooner.
If total scores from FIFA 10 onwards are added up, by which time Messi was very much a part of the elite, an Argentine icon takes the top spot by eight points.
Overall, there isn't much to choose between them off the field as there is on it, and their exploits are sure to live long in the memory of football fans and gaming fans everywhere.
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