With the release of FIFA 18 looming, some rather surprising news has come from EA regarding a certain legendary superstar. Electronic Arts has awarded Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, abbreviated to Ronaldo, a four-star skill rating in the upcoming release, which naturally hasn’t sat well with fans.
The Brazilian forward is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, so fans’ confusion is completely understandable. A four-star rating is surprisingly low, not only because the former Barcelona and Real Madrid star is renowned for being one of the most celebrated and gifted striker to ever grace the pitch, but it also means that he isn’t able to perform the ‘Elastico’, which is a technique that skyrocketed Ronaldo to fame.
It is unclear as to whether or not EA will alter his rating, following a spark of negative feedback on the social media platform Twitter, with the consensus questioning why his rating is so low.
Ronaldo played for a number of high profile teams across his senior career, playing for the likes of Inter Milan, AC Milan, PSV, Barcelona and Real Madrid among others, scoring 247 goals over an 18-year senior career, as well as 62 goals at International level in 98 appearances, as well as bagging several honors for both club and country. There is a ratings refresh period in January, though it is likely that EA will address this beforehand.
This may be something that EA will want to address. It might only seem like a minor issue in the grand scheme of things, yet player ratings are always a hot topic when it comes to a new release of a FIFA game. They are more often than not a source of heated debate of who will be the highest rated player in particular, with the argument often being over two players, with Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and the sensational Barcelona striker Lionel Messi.
FIFA 18 faces some stiff competition this year too, following the release of Pro Evolution Soccer 2018. Whilst PES is often considered by many to be inferior to FIFA for a number of reasons, one primarily being the sponsorship prowess behind the EA Sports product, this year Konami have come out swinging in their bid to stand shoulder to shoulder with their rivals in their latest release.
With a number of major personalities acting as ambassadors to the game including the likes of global superstar and former Manchester United winger David Beckham, as well as sponsorship deals with a number of new clubs, Konami seems to be offering something special to give players an alternative, especially with the the gameplay mechanics and facial expression system that is in place for an overall sense of realism like never before.
Ulimately, a lower ranking for a legendary footballer isn’t likely to cause a plethora of issues for FIFA 18, but it does in a sense showcase a lack of knowledge from EA, particularly given the fact that it takes away an ability that Ronaldo is renowned for.