Following his great campaign in the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Messi received a huge rating boost in his EAFC 27 card, while Cristiano Ronaldo missed out on being on the Men’s Top 27 best rated players.
Lionel Messi reasserted his position as one of the elite soccer players in the world with his stellar performances during the 2026 World Cup. Those international displays earned him a major ratings upgrade in the upcoming EA FC 27, while longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo missed out on the Men’s Top 27 overall ratings.
EA Sports unveiled the list of the top 27 highest-rated men’s players on Monday, with Messi earning a prominent spot. Notably, he stands as the only Argentine representative and the sole player outside of Europe’s top five leagues (England, Spain, Germany, France, and Italy) to crack the exclusive rankings.
Tied with star players like Vinicius Junior, Bruno Fernandes, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Messi garners an 89 overall card in EA FC 27. The Inter Miami star boasts attributes including 76 pace, 87 shooting, 89 passing, 90 dribbling, 33 defending, and 63 physicality.
Compared to his rating in last year’s title, his pace dropped by two points while his shooting jumped by two points and his passing rose by four. His dribbling held firm at 90, his defense remained at 33, and his physical attribute took a one-point hit. This marks his second-highest base rating since joining Inter Miami, trailing only his 90-rated card in EA FC 24, and serves as the first 89-rated base card of his career.
Top 10-18 rated players in EA FC27. (EA Sports)
One of the most notable adjustments on his new card is his default primary position, now officially listed as a Central Attacking Midfielder (CAM). Throughout previous editions, his base item was predominantly classified as a Right Winger (RW) or occasionally a Center Forward (CF), making EA FC 27 the first game to assign him a CAM base position.
Cristiano Ronaldo misses out on the Top 27 entirely
Cristiano Ronaldo’s ratings have steadily drifted away from the game’s top tier since his move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, beginning with an 86 overall gold card in EA FC 24. In last year’s EA FC 26, the Portuguese forward dropped to an 85 overall rating.
For the new release, EA Sports revealed the Top 27 base cards spanning overall ratings from 91 down to 88. However, for another consecutive year, Ronaldo failed to secure a spot among the video game’s top-rated talent.
The ratings are official. The debate has officially begun.Football’s best are in #FC27.Pre-order now: https://t.co/2jnXPAjGfM pic.twitter.com/S0p7IjqagX— EA SPORTS FC (@EASPORTSFC) August 17, 2026
Top 27 rated cards compared to previous edition
With the Men’s Top 27 official, here is the full ranking and how each player rated in EA FC 26:
Kylian Mbappe — 91 rated (EA FC26: 91)Erling Haaland — 91 rated (EA FC26: 90)Rodri — 90 rated (EA FC26: 90)Ousmane Dembele — 90 rated (EA FC26: 90)Vitinha — 90 rated (EA FC26: 89)Harry Kane — 90 rated (EA FC26: 89)Michael Olise — 90 rated (EA FC26: 86)Pedri — 90 rated (EA FC26: 89)Lamine Yamal — 90 rated (EA FC26: 89)Thibaut Courtois — 90 rated (EA FC26: 89)Jude Bellingham — 90 rated (EA FC26: 90)Gabriel Magalhaes — 89 rated (EA FC26: 88)Gianluigi Donnarumma — 89 rated (EA FC26: 89)Bruno Fernandes — 89 rated (EA FC26: 87)Khvicha Kvaratskhelia — 89 rated (EA FC26: 87)Nuno Mendes — 89 rated (EA FC26: 86)Willian Pacho — 89 rated (EA FC26: 86)Lionel Messi — 89 rated (EA FC26: 86)Vinicius Junior — 89 rated (EA FC26: 89)Jan Oblak — 88 rated (EA FC26: 88)Declan Rice — 88 rated (EA FC26: 87)William Saliba — 88 rated (EA FC26: 87)Virgil van Dijk — 88 rated (EA FC26: 90)Achraf Hakimi — 88 rated (EA FC26: 89)Joao Neves — 88 rated (EA FC26: 85)Joshua Kimmich — 88 rated (EA FC26: 89)Luis Diaz — 88 rated (EA FC26: 85)