EA downgrades Cristiano Ronaldo to joint third-best player in the world for FIFA 22

Publish date: 2022-11-21

It's that time of the year again: EA has announced the ratings for the top 22 players in FIFA 22. And as usual they've sparked a vociferous debate.

There are a few eyebrow raisers in here, but let's start at the top and with Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been downgraded one point in overall score.

Ronaldo was rated 92 overall in last year's game, and second only to Lionel Messi's 93. For FIFA 22, however, Ronaldo has a 91 overall rating, and is booted into joint third alongside the likes of Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar of Paris Saint-Germain, and Atletico de Madrid keeper Jan Oblak.

That means Ronaldo is out of the top two best players in the world according to FIFA for what feels like a lifetime. Replacing him, some will argue deservedly so, is Bayern goal machine Robert Lewandowski, who has an overall 92 rating having had a 91 last year. Messi is still the best player in the world, according to FIFA, with a 93.

Is the Ronaldo downgrade justified? The 36-year-old isn't getting any younger, of course, but anyone who watched his second debut for Manchester United at the weekend will know he can still play at a high level.

Perhaps a more controversial downgrade is that suffered by Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, who sees a single point overall rating reduction from 90 to 89. I've seen fans already left scratching their head at this one - Salah was arguably Liverpool's best player last season, almost single-handedly dragging the club into the top four of the Premier League. And he's started this season wonderfully. Is he worse, now, than he was?

As a Chelsea fan, I'm delighted to see the irrepressible N'Golo Kanté in the top 22 with a 90 rating, up from last year's 88. Well deserved for a player who was man of the match in the Champions League semi-final second leg and final. I'd have loved to have seen Romelu Lukaku make the cut after his title-winning season for Inter and his ongoing exploits for his country and new club. Is he worse than Real Madrid's Karim Benzema? I think he's better, but then I would. The only English player in the top 22 is Spurs and England captain Harry Kane, who jumps from 88 to 90.

Here's the top 22:

  • Messi - 93
  • Lewandowski - 92
  • Ronaldo - 91
  • De Bruyne - 91
  • Mbappé - 91
  • Neymar - 91
  • Oblak - 91
  • Kane - 90
  • Kanté - 90
  • Neuer - 90
  • Ter Stegen - 90
  • Salah - 89
  • Donnarumma - 89
  • Benzema - 89
  • Van Dijk - 89
  • Kimmich - 89
  • Son - 89
  • Alisson - 89
  • Courtois - 89
  • Casemiro - 89
  • Ederson - 89
  • Mané - 89

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