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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Lionel Messi will no longer be the highest-rated player in the upcoming EA Sports FIFA video game, according to reports.
The 35-year-old forward topped the rankings of EA Sports' flagship sports video game last year with a rating of 93. However, according to the FIFA news source @FUTZONEFIFA, Messi is set to be displaced as the game's top player by his teammate Kylian Mbappe, who they claim will have a mammoth rating of 92.
It's set to be the first time since FIFA 07 that neither the legendary Argentine forward, nor his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, will be top dogs on the iconic football simulator.
Lionel Messi's rating looks set to drop for the latest edition of the game after the player endured a difficult first season at PSG following his move from Barcelona last summer. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner scored just 11 times in 34 appearances for the Ligue 1 champions, who were knocked out in the second round of the Champions League.
The source also claimed that Mbappe was recently in EA Sports studios to shoot some photos for his updated Ultimate Team card for the game, which is set to be released on September 30. The French international has been the cover star of the world-famous game for the previous two additions.
The immensely popular FIFA series of video games has undergone a rebranding after losing the rights to the 'FIFA' brand and will reportedly be called EA Sports FC from the upcoming edition. The next edition of the game was originally slated to be called FIFA 23.
Pundit claims Lionel Messi wouldn't get into a top-six Premier League side
Former England full-back Danny Mills has claimed that the former Barcelona icon will no longer be picked by a top side in the Premier League.
Mills did state that Messi is the best player that he has ever seen play. However, he believes the forward lines of the top English teams are so strong that the South American will not be able to get into any of these sides.
The pundit told TalkSPORT, as quoted by The Spurs Web:
“Would you take Lionel Messi... who I think is the greatest footballer I have ever seen. I didn’t see Cruyff live, I didn’t see Maradona."
“Messi is the greatest footballer I have ever seen. I know Ronaldo’s numbers may be a little bit better. He’s more of a big-game player and all the rest of it. But as a pure footballer, Messi is the greatest. But would you take Messi now in your team? Probably not.”
When Mills was asked if Liverpool, Manchester City or even Tottenham Hotspur would take Messi, the retired defender stated:
"No, I don’t think they would.”
