A new edition of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/eafc/">EA Sports FC 26</a> is just around the corner, and alongside its new features, player ratings are beginning to roll out after the 2024-25 season. Looking at Major League Soccer, Inter Miami star <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/lionel-messi/">Lionel Messi</a> and LAFC’s Son Heung-min headline the league’s top-rated players.



Messi has dominated <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/mls/">MLS</a> ratings since EA FC 24, but with Son’s surprise move to the league, fans were eager to see how both superstars would stack up. In the end, the Argentine legend still holds the top spot, though by the slimmest of margins.



With EA Sports revealing the league ratings, Messi once again takes first place in MLS with an 86 overall rating, boosted by 90 dribbling, 85 passing, and 85 shooting. Close behind, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/son-heung-min/">Son</a> lands at 85 overall, with pace and shooting (both 84) as his standout attributes.



Rounding out the top three is Inter Miami’s marquee summer signing Rodrigo De Paul. The Argentine midfielder retains his 84 overall from last season at Atlético Madrid, highlighted by balanced marks in passing, dribbling, and physicality (all 83).



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="900" height="1200" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20250911_WST_590112_get-900x1200_d004e11c.webp&amp;width=900&amp;height=1200" alt="Lionel Messi, Son Heung-min and Rodrigo De Paul consolidate MLS&apos; top three most rated players in the league in EA FC26." class="wp-image-590127" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px"></figure><figcaption>Lionel Messi, Son Heung-min, and Rodrigo De Paul headline MLS’ top three highest-rated players in EA Sports FC 26.</figcaption></figure>



Beyond the top three, the ratings even out. Vancouver Whitecaps’ Thomas Müller, Inter Miami’s Sergio Busquets, and LA Galaxy’s Riqui Puig all check in at 80 overall. Just below them, Luis Suárez, Marco Reus, Evander, Emil Forsberg, Carles Gil, Denis Bouanga, and Hany Mukhtar each sit at 79.


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Other notable names include Jordi Alba, Hirving Lozano, and Aleksei Miranchuk at 78 overall, while Wilfried Zaha, Hugo Lloris, and Roman Bürki have been downgraded to 77. EA Sports FC 26 is set for release on September 26, with several MLS stars seeing notable drops compared to recent years.



<h2>Messi, Son, and a step back from last year</h2>



When EA revealed the game’s global top 10, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were both absent, fueling speculation about further downgrades despite strong performances in MLS, the Saudi Pro League, and international play. Those predictions proved accurate, with both Messi and Son receiving -2 overall compared to last year.



In FC 25, Messi carried an 88 overall rating while Son—then at Tottenham Hotspur—was 87. Now, both sit lower at 86 and 85, respectively. For Messi, the 86 overall marks the lowest-rated Ultimate Team card of his career since FIFA 10, when he opened at 91. His previous low came last year at 88, but this year’s release sets a new career low in the franchise.

Lionel Messi and Son Heung-min on top: Which are the highest-rated MLS stars in EA Sports FC 26?

Lionel Messi and Son Heung-min on top: Which are the highest-rated MLS stars in EA Sports FC 26? - World Soccer Talk

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Electronic Arts (EA) has announced that they will include <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/category/euro-2024/">UEFA Euro 2024</a> as a free in-game update to EAFC 24. The game’s release will coincide with the real tournament set to the played in Germany this summer. Euro 2024 will kick off on June 14th and run for a full month. EA is including the update just before the tournament’s start.



The move to release the free in-game tournament to EAFC 24 further strengthens the video game company’s partnership with UEFA. The two sides previously began an official partnership in the fall of 2018. EA Sports added the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">UEFA Champions League</a> to their FIFA 19 game.



“We’re delighted to announce that one of next summer’s biggest football tournaments will be fully integrated across EA SPORTS FC titles,” <a href="https://news.ea.com/press-releases/press-releases-details/2023/UEFA-EURO-2024-Comes-to-EA-SPORTS-FC-24-EA-SPORTS-FC-Mobile-and-EA-SPORTS-FC-Online-in-Summer-2024/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">proclaimed</a> David Jackson, EA Sports FC’s Vice President of Brand. 



“Alongside our fantastic partners at UEFA, this exclusive Euros content will enable EA SPORTS to continue delivering the most authentic and innovative football experiences for our fans.”



<h2>EAFC update to include other Euro 2024 features</h2>



Along with including Euro 2024 in their game, EA will also allow gamers to simulate the tournament from their console. The company is also ready to gift gamers who play the game before Jan. 16 an exclusive player card. These Euro 2024-themed players will be from one of the national teams competing in the actual summer tournament.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231128_WST_473329_Lahm-Euro-2024-1200x675.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-473371" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Lahm-Euro-2024-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Lahm-Euro-2024-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Lahm-Euro-2024-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Lahm-Euro-2024.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure><figcaption>Germany is hosting Euro 2024, which means all of the stadiums for the tournament are already in EAFC 24.</figcaption></figure>



The player card can then be used in EAFC 24’s Ultimate Team game mode. The list of potential player cards includes Ousmane Dembele (France), Jack Grealish (England), Virgil Van Dijk (Netherlands), Federico Chiesa (Italy), Florian Wirtz (Germany), and Álvaro Morata (Spain).



EAFC 2024 is also home to the new eEURO Esports competition. The tournament, which will climax with a live final, plays out in the summer of 2024.



“We are delighted to further expand our partnership with EA SPORTS, with UEFA EURO 2024 becoming a part of the EA SPORTS FC™ game,” <a href="https://news.ea.com/press-releases/press-releases-details/2023/UEFA-EURO-2024-Comes-to-EA-SPORTS-FC-24-EA-SPORTS-FC-Mobile-and-EA-SPORTS-FC-Online-in-Summer-2024/default.aspx">continued</a> UEFA marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein.



“UEFA EURO 2024 is one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting football tournaments, and we’re thrilled that the huge EA SPORTS FC 24 community across the globe will get the chance to engage with the tournament in such an authentic gaming environment. We also look forward, in coming weeks, to unveiling further details around the eEURO competitive gaming tournament.”



<h2>Video game does not have rights to FIFA World Cup</h2>



EA’s continued partnership comes as the company released its latest game without an agreement with FIFA. The two sides previously combined to make the most iconic and recognizable soccer video games ever. However, they eventually split in 2022. As a result, EA now does not have rights to the FIFA World Cup.



FIFA president Gianni Infantino has hinted that the governing body will eventually make their own video game. “The new FIFA game – FIFA 25, 26, 27 and so on – will always be the best egame for any girl or boy,” Infantino <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/gianni-infantino-says-fifa-25-will-be-the-best-e-game-despite-ea-rivalry-3414723" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">claimed</a> back in March. The executive also added that the organization will “have news on this very soon.” Nevertheless, little information has since surfaced regarding the potential game.



EAFC 24 is available now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.



PHOTOS: IMAGO.

EAFC 24 gamers to get Euro 2024 update for free

Electronic Arts has announced that they will include a Euro 2024 update for EAFC 24 gamers ahead of the tournament next summer.

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EAFC 24 gamers to get Euro 2024 update for free