Lionel Messi will be the highest-rated player on FIFA 22 after EA Sports revealed the upcoming game’s top 22.
The latest edition of the long-running title will be released at the start of October and will see Messi representing a team other than Barcelona for the first time.
Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain in August and will give gamers the chance to line up with him, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe all in the same front three.
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers – Argentina vs Bolivia09 September 2021, Argentina, Buenos Aires: Argentina’s Lionel Messi warms up ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers International Soccer match between Argentina and Bolivia at the Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti Stadium.
DPA vía Europa Press (DPA vía Europa Press)
With a rating of 93, Messi will be the game’s best player, excluding icons and special Ultimate Team cards.
The ratings of Neymar and Mbappe were also among those revealed on Monday, with the pair among five players on 91 – the other three are Cristiano Ronaldo, Jan Oblak and Kevin De Bruyne.
Of course, the game will give Manchester United fans the chance to include Ronaldo in their Red Devils side after he completed his return to the club following a 12-year absence.
FC Bayern München – Training SessionMUNICH, GERMANY – SEPTEMBER 13: Robert Lewandowski of FC Bayern München looks on during a FC Bayern training session at Saebener Strasse training ground on September 13, 2021 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Alexander Hassenstein (Getty Images)
Messi aside, the only other player to be rated higher than Ronaldo is Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski.
He broke Gerd Muller’s long-standing record of 40 Bundesliga goals in a single season in 2020-21 as he netted 41 times en route to the title. But it was not enough to topple Messi.
Even in a season that was largely underwhelming for Barcelona, Messi still managed to score 30 LaLiga goals and he set up another nine – only four players had more assists.
This perhaps goes some way to explaining why the six-time Ballon d’Or winner just pips Lewandowski to top-billing despite the latter’s historic campaign.
FIFA 22’s top 22 players:
Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain – 93
Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich – 92
Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United – 91
Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City – 91
Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain – 91
Neymar, Paris Saint-Germain – 91
Jan Oblak, Atletico Madrid – 91
Harry Kane, Tottenham – 90
N’Golo Kante, Chelsea – 90
Manuel Neuer, Bayern Munich – 90
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Barcelona – 90
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool – 89
Gianluigi Donnarumma, Paris Saint-Germain – 89
Karim Benzema, Real Madrid – 89
Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool – 89
Joshua Kimmich, Bayern Munich – 89
Son Heung-min, Tottenham – 89
Alisson, Liverpool – 89
Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid – 89
Casemiro, Real Madrid – 89
Ederson, Manchester City – 89
Sadio Mane, Liverpool – 89
