It’s that time of year again, as EA Sports releases its now iconic Fifa title – with Fifa 17 the latest to push the boundaries of sports gaming.
So who is king of the ratings? We took a look at EA Sports’ top 30 ranked players of Fifa 17, and went through the results with a fine tooth comb.
1. Pace
Gareth Bale (94) Cristiano Ronaldo (92) Neymar (91) Marco Reus (90) Eden Hazard (90)
This might well annoy Cristiano a little. His team mate, and man-bun enthusiast, Gareth Bale more than pips CR7 to the post, with 94 pace to Ronaldo’s 92. Edez Hazard is perhaps a surprise entry in the top five.
2. Shot
Ronaldo (92) Lionel Messi (90) Luis Suarez (90) Zlatan Ibrahimovic (90) Sergio Aguero (88)
Bale is nowhere to be seen however when it comes to shooting ability. This time Lionel Messi joins the fun, and the Premier League’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with his foot like a traction engine, joins in fourth.
3. Passing
Toni Kroos (88) Mesut Ozil (87) Andres Iniesta (87) Messi (86) Luka Modric (86)
Fifa 17′s pass masters are tough to disagree with. Real Madrid and Germany’s metronomic dictator of the game, Toni Kroos, dominates the field – while Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil unsurprisingly slots into second. The rest of the top five aren’t bad either…
4. Dribbling
Messi (96) Neymar (95) Ronaldo (91) Hazard (91) Iniesta (90)
Any surprises here? Not really, no. Messi’s 96 rating is the highest ability rating in the top 30, with Ronaldo falling behind Neymar in third. The kings of balance, Eden Hazard and Iniesta, come fourth and fifth respectively.
5. Defending
Giorgio Chiellini (90) Jerome Boateng (90) Thiago Silva (90) Pepe (88) Diego Godin (88)
At the other end of the pitch, some new names come up. Juventus, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid all find themselves represented in the top five, while the only surprise is perhaps to see just one of Diego Simeone’s team feature.
6. Physical
Paul Pogba (87) Zlatan (86) Boateng (85) Chiellini (85) Sergio Ramos (83)
We did not predict Paul Pogba to come top of this category, and it’s a Manchester United top two with Zlatan joining him on the podium. The rest of the top five are made up from some of the most miserly defenders in the land.
Top goalkeepers
Manuel Neuer (92) David de Gea (90) Thibaut Courtois (89) Gianluigi Buffon (88) Petr Cech (88)
Manuel Neuer remains king of goalkeepers, both in the real world sphere and the virtual plain, but it’s the three Premier League stoppers that are of greater interest, and Serie A legend Gianluigi Buffon finishing fourth. Come to the Premier League, Gigi!
Top Leagues
La Liga (12 players in top 30) Premier League (9) Bundesliga (5) Serie A (3) Ligue 1 (1)
Once again, some surprising Premier League representation here. La Liga’s dominance continues, and Ligue 1 is represented solely by Thiago Silva.
