Lionel Messi has been engaged in a battle for the title of the best footballer in the world with Cristiano Ronaldo for almost a decade now and although FIFA 17 sees Ronaldo as the best player in the game, the competition between these two has always been tough.
Messi has been the best player in the FIFA series (Ronaldo became the best in the game after a 6-year gap) for the better part of a decade but you might find it difficult to believe that there are some players in the Barcelona squad itself who boast better attacking attributes than the Argentine.
We have listed out five such players from the Catalan squad who’s attacking attributes better the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
#1 Neymar
The Brazilian has now moved on from his earlier Barcelona days which were blighted by scandalous rumours surrounding his big ticket transfer from Santos to Barcelona. The wonderkid has now evolved from a talented youngster to a world class footballer who now not only holds his own but also betters his Argentine teammate in many aspects.
On FIFA 17, the Brazilian’s explosive speed gives him a higher acceleration (93) and sprint speed (90) rating than that of Lionel Messi who is also known for his explosive acceleration. Surprisingly, his ball control (95) rating also betters that of La Pulga along with his penalty taking abilities.
When it comes to agility too, the Brazilian is ahead of the Argentine with 96 rating that makes him one of the best in the game. Also, Neymar, with his higher stamina will not fade out of games and can keep the flowing football for the entirety of the game.
#2 Jordi Alba
Full-back Jordi Alba is probably the most naturally athletic player in the Barcelona squad and boasts team-high ratings in athleticism, beating even the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar in some attributes.
The Spaniard is known to be one of the fastest players in world football, a fact which is reflected in his FIFA 17 attribute ratings. Alba’s acceleration (93) is second best in the Barcelona squad. With such a high acceleration, Alba can also reach a very high sprint speed (93) which is the best in the Catalan squad.
Alba is not only better than Lionel Messi in the above attributes but also betters the Argentine in the vital attributes of agility and stamina. He uses his team-high stamina (90) to maraud down the left flank in the dying embers of games.
Also Read: People can’t stop buying the new “Cheap Messi” in FIFA 17
#3 Ivan Rakitic
To the layman, the Croatian midfielder does not come across as a player with better attributes than Lionel Messi.
His attributes are very much different to the stereotypical Barcelona footballer. His chief strengths do not lie in the short pass or a cheeky dinked finish but he boasts of the more English attributes of crossing and long shots, adding another dimension to Barcelona’s attacking play.
The Croatian betters his five-time Ballon d’Or winning teammate in the crossing and long pass attributes while also being better than Barcelona’s best player in penalty taking skills.
Also Read: FIFA 17: What would happen if Real Madrid and Barcelona played in the World Cup?
#4 Luis Suarez
The Uruguayan, as per FIFA ratings is the best striker in world football. Suarez earned his dream move to Barcelona after some spectacular seasons at Liverpool.
On FIFA 17, Luis Suarez is a complete attacking package. Adept at poaching goals, he is also better than Lionel Messi in terms of his heading and crossing attributes. Suarez also takes a meaner penalty than Messi while also being able to strike sweeter volleys.
Messi is not reputed for having the best stamina in any case and Suarez is better than the Argentine in this attribute too. Surprisingly, considering Messi is a La Masia graduate, Suarez even manages to pass the ball better than the Argentine.
#5 Andres Iniesta
This list would’ve been incomplete without the inclusion of who is one of the best midfielders in the world. Andres Iniesta has been with the Catalans since his debut for them as a 16-year-old. He formed a world-beating partnership with Xavi Hernandez that saw them win multiple titles for club and country.
On FIFA 17, Andres Iniesta is one of the best passers of the ball. Complimenting his passing rating of 92 is his exceptional vision, which is rated at 94. This combination of vision and passing allows one to pick out those seemingly impossible passes through the tightest of gaps.
Also Read: 5 Real Madrid players with better attributes than Cristiano Ronaldo on FIFA 17
