Contrary to some expectations, Manchester City’s Rodri has been awarded the Ballon d’Or 2024. Does he deserve it in EA SPORTS FC 25 too?
Actually, most experts seemed to have agreed: At the Ballon d’Or, there were many indications that Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior would be named best player of the 2023/24 season. However, this expectation was not met. Instead, Manchester City’s Rodri outranked the Brazilian to secure the coveted trophy and can now call himself the best footballer in the world.
The Manchester City playmaker, who is currently out with an injury, also holds this title in FC 25 – at least in terms of the overall rating. With 91 points, he sits at the top of the ratings together with Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé. Consequently, the 28-year-old is also the highest-rated midfielder in FC 25.
Quarterback with scoring and finishing qualities
To reflect the Madrilenian’s playing style in the football simulation, EA SPORTS has assigned Rodri the player role ++ “deep-lying engine”. Thanks to this, he is particularly well suited as an anchor, triggering the play from a deep position and acting as a safeguard against the ball.
However, Rodri’s strengths in real life are not only reflected in one designation in FC 25. The Skyblues’ metronome also scores highly in terms of playstyle: “Composure” improves dribbling under pressure, while “Long Pass” and “Tiki-Taka+” enhance high through balls and first-time passes. When defending, Edge and In the Air make the reigning European champion, who is 1.91 meters tall and has a solid strength rating (83), a solid tackler on the ground and in the air.
When Rodri gets involved further forward, his attempts from the second line are a real weapon. Impressive shooting power (92) meets strong long shots (89) and the “power shot” play style. This further improves the powerful finishes with both shoulder buttons and accelerates their execution.
Not only at the top in the overall rating
As a defensive midfielder with playmaking duties, it’s hardly surprising that Rodri’s defensive stats (87) and passing (86) are the best. In terms of individual values, composure (94), reaction (93) and defensive awareness (92) stand out in particular. No other player in the entire game tops the latter. In terms of composure, only Lionel Messi can keep up, while the Spanish international’s reaction speed is only surpassed by Haaland and Harry Kane (both 94).
Rodri’s only slight weakness is his pace. His acceleration (65) and sprint speed (66) are below average – but not excessively so. This is because his outstanding defensive awareness not only ensures optimal positioning, The right-footed player’s running style also compensates for his below-average values. He is classified as “predominantly sustained” by nature and can become “sustained” in Ultimate Team (FUT) with the right chemstyle. This allows him to catch up with even the fastest opponents over distance.
Career fans are asked to checkout
: Great defensive skills, a clean passing game and the calm of a stay at a health resort on Wangerooge: When looking for a center, FC-25 players can hardly get past Rodri – but they also have to pay a corresponding price for quality. The Skyblues director’s market value in career mode is said to be around 115 million euros. 440,000 euros is also a tidy sum of weekly salary. FUT players have it a little easier. They can get Rodri’s gold item for around 44,500 coins. An investment that the newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner is definitely worth.
