I don't see why the overall rating matters all that much. I seriously doubt the EA people sit around worrying about 91s 90s, 89s, etc. They come up with a formula for each spot on the field which computes a number based on a player's given ratings in all of the individual categories. So 91 is just Ronaldinho's rating when played at his "Primary Position." Kaka, if I remember correctly is only an 88 in the formation he's played at in the default Milan lineup. You move guys around, the number changes, change formations, the number changes... In the end, the one number that impacts absolutely nothing about the game is the one people go crazy over. And while I loved Totti's season (the best in the world, I'd say)... That has almost nothing to do with ratings in a game determined by random things such as "dribbling," "ball control," "shot power," "finishing," etc. Not that Totti isn't exceptionally skilled, but just because he scores 30+ goals doesn't mean you suddenly take his dribble rating and make it Ronaldo's or take his speed and make it Henry's. You get guys that score tons of goals but who are generally not flashy and don't show off the moves and such and it is simply difficult to make them high rated in the formula. Take Drogba last year, go in the editor and change it around, it's almost impossible to be anything close to honest and get him over an 88 or so. But you know what? It doesn't matter. The player will still play to his individual ratings and those that have elite subratings in at least one or two things gives them a skill they can exploit to get the job done.
I'd like to see Totti rated the highest. But since it is FIFA 08 it will be Ronaldinho with Kaka or C. Ronaldo second highest.
What did Dinho do or win last year? I think Totti should be at least on par with Dinho after last year's performance by both.
Is this from the next gen version? Those aren't the rankings in the last-gen PC demo from a couple weeks ago.
Ah, that explains it. I wonder why they'd use different ratings - and make the players' ratings lower at that.
Probably has to do with the level of gameplay on 360 vs. PC. It's probably some complicated explanation.
wasn't inbrohimovich a 94 in the 06 or 07 game? Why are the best players at only a 91? shouldn't they be somewhere around a 94 or 95. If rooney is only an 86 I can't imagine what they'll give any american.
For the last several years the best players have been in 88-92 range. The last really high rating I remember was Ronaldo at 99 a handful of years ago. I imagine the highest rated American will be Donovan a bit below 80.
How about Van Nisterlooy, top scorer in spain and over 30 total goals last year. Should be at least 90.
Goalie - Buffon Defender - Cannavaro Or Terry Attacking Midfielders - Ronaldinho Or Messi Midfielder - Gerrard Attack - Del Piero, Shevchenko Or Henry
If rating players for FIFA was taken seriously then only one of those you listed would be considered as 'top' for their position, perhaps two at most.
I don't agree with all of them, but 2 at most? Ronaldinho and Messi are pretty damn good picks just for the AM spot. I'd also agree with Gerrard and maybe Buffon (I think picking the best GK is pretty hard to be honest). But I'd say again, the rating numbers are just a collection of smaller values. It's not the intention to simply take the most productive player and give him the highest rating - which is why someone like Totti or RvN shouldn't get the highest rating.
I agree with Buffon and Gerrard is the other possibility. The others are simply not the best in their position either in terms of talent, output or performances over this season and last. The two players you dismissed at the end of your post have a far better claim than the others on that list.
I dismiss them because they wouldn't necessarily get the highest grades in all the individual categories. They might get exceptional ratings at several of the main ones, but they would be considerably lacking at one or two - for example pace. So if the equation for a ST puts high value on pace (which I believe it does) a player like RvN (despite scoring 30 goals a year) isn't going to rank as high as players who are good at everything (including pace) but don't have the world class finishing rating that RvN would likely get. If a player has high 80s and low 90s ratings at all the major categories and then a 72 pace... In the equation he's going to come out lower or level than some guys who have mid 80s ratings in a lot of skill categories and then have 90 pace. At least that's how I understand it. Ultimately it impacts nothing and if RvN has a 95 finishing, he'll still be able to score plenty of the goals in the game just as he does in reality. He just won't have a 92 overall rating.