Today is the most important day of the year for Kylian Mbappé, even though there is no PSG match or national team game. It’s the day that the annual edition of the reference football video game, FC24, is released. This game, formerly known as FIFA and created in 1993, has generated over 20 billion euros in revenue over the past 30 years.
For many players, two things matter most: their salary and their FIFA rating. This year, on FC24, Kylian Mbappé is the highest-rated player in the game with an overall score of 91 out of 100. This puts him ahead of even Alexia Putellas, the 2021 women’s Ballon d’Or winner, and Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker. However, Messi has dropped to sixth place, while Cristiano Ronaldo is at 95th.
Having a good rating in the game is a matter of prestige, and a low rating can lead to discontent. For example, Olivier Giroud expressed surprise and dismay when he discovered his low speed rating a few years ago, joking that even his son was faster. In 2018, Liverpool fans were outraged when they saw that Mohamed Salah, voted the best player of the season in England, had a rating of just 88 out of 100.
Behind the game’s ratings is a complex system involving around 40 people who collect and process statistical data for the game’s 17,000 players and 700 teams. This data is gathered by a hundred employees who attend matches, supported by thousands of volunteers around the world. Mbappé, known for wanting to break records, has his sights set on surpassing the highest rating in the game’s history, a 98 achieved by Brazilian Ronaldo in 2004.
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