FIFA 21: Erling Haaland, Alphonso Davies and the 5 players who most deserve a ratings upgrade
FIFA 21 is set to be released in October, which means a few more months to debate which players deserve a ratings upgrade once EA SPORTS' flagship title is out. From Erling Haaland to Alphonso Davies, several Bundesliga players enjoyed big seasons which should be reflected in the game.
bundesliga.com picks out five stars of the 2019/20 season who deserve a ratings boost in FIFA 21…
Watch: Erling Haaland on his love of football, Dortmund and FIFA
Position: LM/LB
Club: Bayern Munich
FIFA 20 rating: 72
Although it now seems unimaginable that Bayern's Road Runner Alphonso Davies could have been rated as low as 72, FIFA 20's previous judgement could be seen as a realistic reflection of the Canadian who, at the time, had only made a handful of appearances for the record champions. However, after a season which has propelled him to a second Bundesliga title, a Rookie of the Season award and nomination for the 2020 Golden Boy, Davies is due a hefty upgrade.
Watch: All of Davies' goals and assists in 2019/20
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Davies' stats were all relatively low bar his blistering pace, which was something clear to see even before his move to the Allianz Arena. However, that may also be due an upgrade after the 19-year-old clocked 22.7mph - a Bundesliga record - in Bayern's title-clinching win at Werder Bremen on Matchday 32 of the 2019/20 season.
Defending is another stat sure to receive a boost with Davies - whose card has him at left midfield on FIFA 20 - playing at left-back in 25 of his 29 Bundesliga appearances in the past season. The defensive ability he showed throughout, and especially in the second half of the campaign, is likely to see Davies' stats not only rise but his position as a whole change, likely making him one of the most desirable left-backs around.
Position: ST
Club: Borussia Dortmund
FIFA 20 rating: 73
Much like Davies, Erling Haaland is another youngster who has burst - nay, exploded - onto the world footballing scene in 2019/20. Having been handed a 73 rating for FIFA 20, Haaland has gone on to receive 11 upgrade cards in the game with the highest of those being his 95-rated Team of the Season card for Dortmund.
Watch: Haaland under the tactical microscope
Haaland announced his arrival from Red Bull Salzburg - where he had scored 28 goals in 22 games in the first half of the season alone - in some style, scoring a hat-trick off the bench away to Augsburg on Matchday 18 to spark a come-from-behind 5-3 victory. Still just 19, the 6'3" powerhouse ended the campaign with 13 league goals at a rate of one every 81 minutes - at exactly the same clip as Bayern's 34-goal top scorer Robert Lewandowski.
Haaland's pace and physicality were the only overall stats rated over 80 on his basic FIFA 20 card. It's hard to argue against him having anything less than 80 for almost every stat besides, perhaps, passing and defending when FIFA 21 comes around. With the 11 upgrades his card received last season, Haaland can expect to go on and claim even more in the coming edition of the game.
Position: CAM/CM
Club: RB Leipzig
FIFA 20 rating: 81
It wasn't easy making the headlines at Leipzig with Timo Werner around, but Marcel Sabitzer managed better than most. The Austrian enjoyed another fantastic season for the club, contributing nine goals and seven assists while missing just two games, as well as scoring what will surely be crowned the UEFA Champions League's Goal of the Season in helping Leipzig reach the competition's quarter-finals for the very first time - watch his current 80-rating for shooting sky-rocket!
Sabitzer may be another player not only due an upgrade, but also a change of position. In Julian Nagelsmann's first season as head coach at the Red Bull Arena, Sabitzer became Leipzig's midfield engine from a deeper midfield role, plugging the gap when Diego Demme left for Napoli. Don't be surprised to see Sabitzer's CAM position from FIFA 20 became CM in FIFA 21.
Sabitzer's Leipzig colleague Christopher Nkunku, also went above and beyond expectations in 2019/20, the Frenchman providing a team-best 13 assists during his maiden Bundesliga campaign. Sabitzer was the key cog in the Leipzig system, though. The 26-year-old even became captain for the second half of the season, suffering just two defeats in the 15 he started with the armband on.
Position: GK
Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach
FIFA 20 rating: 84
Bayern's Manuel Neuer (88), Leipzig's Peter Gulacsi (86) and Dortmund's Roman Bürki (85) were all rated higher than Gladbach's Yann Sommer (84) on FIFA 20. That may change by the time FIFA 21 rolls around after the best season in the Swiss shot-stopper's career since his arrival at Borussia-Park in 2014.
Watch: Sommer’s last-gasp save against Bayern
As well as the club's return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in four years being built on fluid, vibrant attacking football, much of the thanks must go to the hands and feet of Sommer at the other end. Gladbach's No.1 made more saves (126) than any other 'keeper in the league this season and had the best save ratio (75.2 percent).
Surpassing Neuer's FIFA 20 rating of 88 may be a big ask given the Bayern No.1's strong performances this season, but Sommer should certainly see his grade rise close to, if not above, that of Bürki and Gulacsi. His finger-tip save against Bayern in the famous 2-1 win on Matchday 14 would be worthy of that alone.
Weston McKennie
Position: CM
Club: Schalke
FIFA 20 rating: 76
The Bundesliga has been ablaze with most-improved player candidates from the 2019/20 season, and Schalke's Weston McKennie has been on fire, even if his side have not. In what turned out to be a difficult conclusion to the campaign, McKennie remained Schalke's standout performer with the USMNT star's tenacity, leadership and fearlessness shining through.
His 76 rating from FIFA 20 was another realistic reflection of a 21-year-old coming into the new season. His highest attributes were for heading, jumping, stamina, strength and aggression, and for a player who has yet to nail down his best position in the Royal Blues' squad, such attributes are where McKennie has stood out.
Although his preferred position is central midfield, the USMNT star has played as a striker, on the right-hand side of midfield and even at centre-back over the last 18 months at the Veltins-Arena. That versatility should see his rating creep above 80 in FIFA 21. Watch his 68 pace and 69 passing ratings fly to at least 80, too.
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