FIFA Ratings for Best Soccer Players in the World

Who are the top players in international football today? The popular FIFA video game has an idea, and its ratings are pretty accurate.

FIFA Ratings for Best Soccer Players in the World

Lionel Messi has done a lot of celebrating in his career.

The FIFA video game franchise is the highest-selling sports video game series in the world. The annual release date is a holiday for many soccer fans, and one of the game's most intriguing features is the rating system of players. These ratings can give a good idea of how skilled each soccer player is.

But the ratings are often controversial. It’s impossible to rate every single aspect of thousands of soccer players across the globe with 100 percent accuracy. However, for the most part, FIFA does a good job with its ratings and updates them throughout the season to reflect a player’s performance.

Here are FIFA's highest-rated players.

50. Diego Godin

Note: FIFA player ratings sometimes value name brand and legacy over current form, so to balance out FIFA’s ratings, we have included a player’s InStat score. The InStat score is based on a proprietary algorithm developed by sports data company InStat and factors in a wide range of data to rank players on an objective basis.

We used FIFAIndex.com ratings as a guide for our rankings. For each player, we list their FIFA stats and discuss their careers and whether they deserve the rating FIFA has given them. InStat scores are based on the 2019-20 season, and the scores change constantly.

Position: Central defender

Country: Uruguay

Born: Feb. 16, 1986, in Rosario, Uruguay

Experience: 2003-present (18 years)

Teams: Cerro, Nacional, Villareal, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan

Key stats: La Liga Best Defender 2015-16, La Liga title 2013-14, two Europa League titles

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 300

Bottom line: Diego Godin has been considered one of the world’s best defenders for the better part of a decade.

He controlled the staunch Atletico Madrid defense for the entire 2010s, taking them to a surprise La Liga title and winning the La Liga Best Defender award the next season. It’s no small feat to win this award in a league that features Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique.

Godin’s powers have been diminished by age, and his FIFA rating of 87 is based more on reputation than his actual abilities these days.

49. Angel Di Maria

Position: Winger

Country: Argentina

Born: Feb. 14, 1988, in Rosario, Argentina

Experience: 2005-present (16 years)

Teams: Rosario Central, Benefica, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain

Key stats: Champions League winner, La Liga winner, 2014 World Cup Dream Team member

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 372

Bottom line: You only need to look at the teams that Angel Di Maria has played on to see what unreal talent he possesses. But it’s also telling that he’s never stayed longer than five years at any of those teams.

Di Maria is capable of scoring goals that boggle the mind and then disappearing for weeks at a time. Due to injuries or other factors, he’s never reached the level of a player like Neymar or Eden Hazard despite having quickness, dribbling ability and a magical left foot.

When Di Maria is at his best, he’s one of the most mesmerizing players on earth.

48. Wojciech Szczesny

Position: Goalkeeper

Country: Poland

Born: April 18, 1990, in Warsaw, Poland

Experience: 2009-present (12 years)

Teams: Arsenal, Brentford (loan), Roma (loan), Juventus

Key stats: Two Serie A titles, two English FA Cups, Premier League Golden Glove 2013-14

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 301

Bottom line: Without a doubt, Wojciech Szczesny has one of the strangest career arcs in soccer.

He was part of Arsenal’s youth squad, ascended to become the club's starting goalkeeper and won the Premier League Golden Glove in 2013-14. But by the end of the next season, he had been benched and was sent out on loan shortly afterward. He then signed with Juventus to back up the legend Gianluigi Buffon and became the starter after Buffon left.

Szczesny has established himself as one of the best keepers in the world on one of the best teams in the world, a surprising turn for any Arsenal fan who watched him struggle in his final season in London.

47. Marco Reus

Position: Forward

Country: Germany

Born: May 31, 1989, in Dortmund, Germany

Experience: 2006-present (15 years)

Teams: Rot Weiss Ahlen II, Rot Weiss Ahlen, Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund

Key stats: Three-time Bundesliga Player of the Season, two-time Footballer of the Year in Germany, German Cup winner

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 313

Bottom line: Injuries have robbed Marco Reus of the record-breaking career his talent deserved, but when he’s healthy, few players have been better than him.

Winning Bundesliga Player twice and Footballer of the Year in Germany shows what a great player he is, especially when you consider his competition in this generation of incredible German talent. But a major trophy missing from his case is the 2014 World Cup, which he missed due to an injury he suffered in a warm-up game.

He’s scored more than 170 goals combined for Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund in his career. There was a time when his FIFA potential rating was likely in the mid-90s. Now he’s the elder statesman playing alongside exciting talents like Erling Braut Haaland and Giovanni Reyna.

46. Christian Eriksen

Position: Attacking midfielder

Country: Denmark

Born: Feb. 14, 1992, in Middelfart, Denmark

Experience: 2010-present (11 years)

Teams: Ajax, Tottenham, Inter Milan

Key stats: Dutch Footballer of the Year 2011, four-time Danish Football Player of the Year, 150-plus career assists

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: N/A (not enough minutes in 2019-20)

Bottom line: Once it became clear that Christian Eriksen was leaving Tottenham, his effort and quality seemed to drop dramatically for the Spurs.

But the bad taste left in the mouth of Spurs fans doesn’t change the fact that he was a brilliant player for them for most of his seven seasons in London, scoring 69 goals and playing a key role in their run to the Champions League final in 2019.

However, his 87 rating is not based on anything he has done since August 2019. Although the talent is still there, he’s more likely to drop points in the rankings than he is to add them.

45. Thibaut Courtois

Position: Goalkeeper

Country: Belgium

Born: May 11, 1992, in Bree, Belgium

Experience: 2009-present (12 years)

Teams: Genk, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid (loan), Real Madrid

Key stats: Premier League Golden Glove 2016-17, World Cup Golden Glove 2018, IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper 2018

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 299

Bottom line: There is perhaps no more cursed title in soccer than to be declared the 'Best Goalkeeper in the World." That is what Thibaut Courtois was universally recognized to be when he forced a move away from Chelsea to Real Madrid in 2018.

The move turned out to be less than a dream for Courtois, who struggled to regain the form that saw him win the Golden Glove at the 2018 World Cup. He only kept eight clean sheets and conceded 36 goals in the 2018-19 season, but he turned it around in 2019-20, cutting the goals allowed number in half.

But he’s still far down in the pecking order when discussing the best goalkeepers in the world at the moment.

44. Ciro Immobile

Position: Striker

Country: Italy

Born: February 20, 1990, in Torre Annunziata, Italy

Experience: 2009-present (12 years)

Teams: Juventus, Siena (loan), Grosseto (loan), Pescara (loan), Genoa, Torino, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla (loan), Sevilla, Torino (loan), Lazio

Key stats: Two-time Serie A Top Scorer, Europa League top scorer 2017-18, 200-plus career goals

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 342

Bottom line: Outside of Italy, Ciro Immobile is one of the most underrated players in the world. All the man does is score goals.

After a journeyman career playing for 10 different clubs, he’s found a team that appreciates him and suits his talents in Lazio. Immobile has scored more than 20 goals in five separate seasons in his career.

The 30-year-old just keeps getting better.

43. Keylor Navas

Position: Goalkeeper

Country: Costa Rica

Born: Dec. 15, 1986, in Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica

Experience: 2005-present (15 years)

Teams: Saprissa, Albacete, Levante (loan), Levante, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain

Key stats: Three-time Champions League winner, La Liga champion, two-time CONCACAF Men’s Player of the Year

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 298

Bottom line: Coming from Costa Rica, a country not known for producing world-class soccer talent, Keylor Navas has proven doubters wrong his entire career.

He inherited the No. 1 shirt from Iker Casillas when he left Real Madrid, but was almost immediately transferred to Manchester United in exchange for David De Gea before the deal fell through on a technicality. Navas stayed at Real Madrid while they constantly set out to replace him with a bigger name.

Still, Navas remains one of the greatest keepers in the history of this legendary club. He started and won three Champions League finals and won his 100th game in only his 141st appearance. Yet Real sent him packing when they got their hands on Thibaut Courtois.

At Paris Saint-Germain, Navas has continued his consistent form.

42. Paul Pogba

Position: Central midfielder

Country: France

Born: March 15, 1993, in Lagny-sur-Marne, France

Experience: 2011-present (10 years)

Teams: Manchester United, Juventus

Key stats: World Cup Winner, PFA Team of the Year 2018-19, FIFA World Cup Best Young Player 2014

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 324

Bottom line: One of Manchester United’s greatest regrets might be letting Paul Pogba leave for free in 2012, but they could regret bringing him back for 105 million euros ($114.2 million) even more. If Pogba had been bought for only 50 million euros ($54.4 million), his return to the Red Devils may be viewed differently.

He’s won the Europa League, scored more than 30 goals and provided more than 25 assists, all despite dealing with multiple injuries. However, when a player is bought for more than 100 million euros, he’s expected to be the world’s best midfielder, and Pogba has never been that for Manchester United.

He appears to be agitating for a move away from Manchester, which may be the best thing for both parties at this point. In the midst of all of his drama and inconsistency in the Premier League, he did show his class by playing a key role in France’s 2018 World Cup win.

41. Marco Verratti

Position: Central midfielder

Country: Italy

Born: November 5, 1992, in Pescara, Italy

Experience: 2008-present (13 years)

Teams: Pescara, Paris Saint-Germain

Key stats: Six Ligue 1 titles, Pallone Azzuro (Best Italian Player) 2015, Ligue 1 Foreign Player of the Year 2014-15

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 332

Bottom line: Some of the world’s greatest attacking talent has played in front of Marco Verratti at PSG, including Zlatan Ibrahimovi?, Edinson Cavani, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi. So it’s often up to Verratti to keep things under control in the midfield.

He rarely scores goals, but he does contribute key passes to his attacking teammates and maintains possession of the ball better than almost any midfielder in the world. He’s the classic definition of a classy Italian midfield maestro.

Verratti also brings a hard-nosed edge to the team, something often missing from the stylish attackers in front of him.

40. Son Heung-min

Position: Forward

Country: South Korea

Born: July 8, 1992, in Chuncheon, Gangwon, South Korea

Experience: 2010-present (11 years)

Teams: Hamburger SV II, Hamburger SV, Bayern Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur

Key stats: Five-time Best Football in Asia, Tottenham Hotspur Player of the Season 2018-19, 87 international caps

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 330

Bottom line: Son Heung-min went from one of the most underrated players in the world to a player that was recognized as a world-class talent in 2018-19. It all came crashing down in the 2019-20 season, when red card suspensions and injuries cost him significant time and took away the momentum that he had gained.

In 2018, he guided South Korea to victory in the 2018 Asian Games, guaranteeing exemption from military service for the entire squad. He then led Tottenham to the Champions League Final while winning their Player of the Season award.

Look for Son to return with a vengeance in 2020-21.

39. Paulo Dybala

Position: Forward

Country: Argentina

Born: Nov. 15, 1993, in Cordoba, Argentina

Experience: 2011-present (10 years)

Teams: Instituto, Palermo, Juventus

Key stats: Four Serie A titles, three-time member of Serie A team of the year, 100-plus career goals

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 323

Bottom line: Ranking all the way down at 39 seems extraordinarily low for a player acknowledged as one of the best and most talented attacking talents in the world. But such has been the fortunes of Paulo Dybala in the last few seasons.

He’s the only player in the world "cursed" with having to move positions to accommodate Cristiano Ronaldo on his club team and Lionel Messi on his international team. Both of those superstars often steal Dybala's thunder and his goal-scoring opportunities.

In fact, since his high-water mark of 22 goals in the 2017-18 Serie A season the year before Ronaldo’s arrival, Dybala failed to net more than 10 goals in either of the following seasons. If he gets a move away from Juventus, he likely will shoot up these rankings when deployed in his proper position again.

38. Aymeric Laporte

Position: Center back

Country: France

Born: May 27, 1994, in Agen, France

Experience: 2011-present (10 years)

Teams: Basconia, Bilbao Athletic, Athletic Bilbao, Manchester City

Key stats: La Liga Team of the Year 2013-14, PFA Premier League Team of the Year 2018-19, two Premier League titles

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 314

Bottom line: It’s almost shocking that Aymeric Laporte is still only 25 years old. He’s been regarded as one of the best defenders in the world for so long that it would be easy to assume he was much older.

But Laporte was such a star at Athletic Bilbao as a teenager that he became the envy of every big club in Europe. Manchester City won the bidding war, and he beat out stiff competition at center back to become the regular starter.

Laporte led Man City to the Domestic Treble in 2018-19, but injuries have kept him sidelined for much of the 2019-20 season.

37. Joshua Kimmich

Position: Defensive midfielder/right back

Country: Germany

Born: Feb. 8, 1995, in Rottweil, Germany

Experience: 2013-present (8 years)

Teams: RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich

Key stats: Germany National Team Player of the Year 2017, four Bundesliga titles, Champions League Squad of the Season 2017-18

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 320

Bottom line: Every dynamic attacking team needs a few "boring" players to keep things under control. Joshua Kimmich has been that guy for Bayern Munich and the German national team for years.

He is a solid defensive midfielder or right back who can provide key passes and even pop up with a goal or two when his team needs him. Kimmich plays a similar role that German legend Phillip Lahm played for the German team that won the 2014 World Cup.

Kimmich's ability to win the ball back from opponents and quickly release his teammates on the attack is key to his team’s success.

36. Bernardo Silva

Position: Winger, center midfielder

Country: Portugal

Born: Aug. 10, 1994, in Lisbon, Portugal

Experience: 2013-present (8 years)

Teams: Benefica B, Benefica, Monaco (loan), Monaco, Manchester City

Key stats: Manchester City Player of the Year 2018-19, PFA Premier League Team of the Year 2018-19, Ligue 1 Team of the Year 2016-17

FIFA rating: 87

InStat score: 312

Bottom line: For an attacking player to carve out a consistent starting spot in Manchester City’s Starting XI is hard enough, but to then be so good you are named player of the year in the best year in the history of the club is even more difficult.

But the 25-year-old Portuguese attacker did just that, scoring seven goals, providing eight assists, and putting in consistent performances every game. Bernardo Silva possesses an incredible left foot to go along with dynamic dribbling skills. And he should only get better in the years to come.

It would not be a surprise if he was in the top 20 in a few years.

35. Giorgio Chiellini

Position: Center defender

Country: Italy

Born: Aug. 14, 1984, in Pisa, Italy

Experience: 2000-present (21 years)

Teams: Livorno, Roma, Livorno (loan), Fiorentina (loan), Juventus

Key stats: Eight Serie A Titles, three-time Serie A Defender of the Year, Juventus Greatest XI of All Time

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: N/A (not enough minutes in 2019-20)

Bottom line: Giorgio Chiellini is an absolute legend, but he is rated this high by FIFA solely on reputation. He’s barely played in the 2019-20 season due to an ACL tear, and at 35, there are some questions about to whether he’ll ever return to the form that saw him lead the Juventus defense for a decade and a half.

He was named to Juventus’ greatest XI of all time in 2017, no small feat considering the great players that have played for "The Old Lady."

It’s not smart to doubt Chiellini, so maybe he will return to being a player who deserves an 88 rating.

34. Gerard Pique

Position: Center back

Country: Spain

Born: Feb. 2, 1987, in Barcelona

Experience: 2004-present (17 years)

Teams: Manchester United, Zaragoza (loan), Barcelona

Key stats: Eight La Liga titles, 2010 World Cup winner, three Champions League titles

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 297

Bottom line: One of the most decorated defenders in history, Gerard Pique has been a stalwart at the heart of some of the best teams in the history of the sport.

As Barcelona’s center back, Pique has held down the defensive side of the ball while Lionel Messi and company score the goals that have led them to eight La Liga titles and three Champions League crowns. Pique also started all seven matches for Spain on its way to the 2010 World Cup title.

Age has caught up with him some, and his rating as an 88 is probably the highest he will see ever again.

33. Samir Handanovic

Position: Goalkeeper

Country: Slovenia

Born: July 14, 1984, in Ljubljana, SFR Yugoslavia

Experience: 2003-present (18 years)

Teams: Domzale, Zagorje (loan), Udinese, Treviso (loan), Lazio (loan), Rimini (loan), Inter Milan

Key stats: Three-time Slovenian Footballer of the Year, three-time Serie A Team of the Year, three-time AIC Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 287

Bottom line: Samir Handanovic has quietly been one of the best goalies in soccer for the past decade, but his career at Inter Milan has coincided with a period of no trophies.

He’s never been rated as highly as some of his competitors like Manuel Neuer or Thibaut Courtois, but Handanovic always has been a really solid option for Inter Milan and for the Slovenian national team.

Surprisingly, he’s not the best Slovenian goalkeeper. That title goes to Jan Oblak.

32. Karim Benzema

Position: Striker

Country: France

Born: Dec. 19, 1987, in Lyon France

Experience: 2004-present (17 years)

Teams: Lyon B, Lyon, Real Madrid

Key stats: Four Champions League titles, three-time French Player of the Year, two La Liga titles

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 312

Bottom line: All Karim Benzema does is score goals, and he’s been doing that for a decade and a half. He’s banged in more than 300 goals in his senior career for Lyon and Real Madrid, and he did most of that while playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who took many of his opportunities.

After a couple of down seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18, Benzema returned with a vengeance in 2018-19, scoring 21 goals.

His 2019-20 season has been just as good, and, despite being 32 years old, he shows no signs of slowing down with his goal-scoring ways.

31. David Silva

Position: Center attacking midfielder

Country: Spain

Born: Jan. 8, 1986, in Arguineguin, Spain

Experience: 2003-present (18 years)

Teams: Valencia B, Valencia, Eibar (loan), Celta (loan), Manchester City

Key stats: Four Premier League titles, 2010 World Cup winner, Manchester City Player of the Season 2016-17

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 318

Bottom line: Not too long ago, a legitimate argument could be made for placing David Silva in the top five players in all of soccer. His creativity at the heart of the dynamic Manchester City attack and his influential displays for Spain showcased his amazing abilities.

Few players could match up with Silva when it came to pulling the strings. But he isn't just about providing assists. He’s also scored more than 100 goals in his senior career.

However, the 2019-20 season has not been kind to him after he revealed before the season that this would be his final year in Manchester. He’s not been playing near the level that he used to, and an 88 rating may be generous for Silva these days.

30. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Position: Striker

Country: Gabon

Born: June 18, 1989, in Laval, France

Experience: 2008-present (13 years)

Teams: Milan, Dijon (loan), Lille (loan), Monaco (loan), Saint-Etienne (loan), Saint-Etienne, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal

Key stats: Bundesliga Player of the Year 2015-16, Premier League Golden Boot 2018-19, Bundesliga Top Goalscorer 2016-17

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 297

Bottom line: A pure goalscorer gifted with a sprinter’s speed and a deft touch, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shared the Premier League Golden Boot in 2018-19 with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. So it does seem a little odd for him to rank at No. 30 here.

Aubameyang has been scoring goals for fun since his 16-goal season for Saint-Etienne in 2011-12. He torched the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and has been very good for Arsenal since his arrival in 2017-18.

He does have a pretty severe lack of assists in his game, which may account for his ranking much lower than other strikers of his caliber.

29. Sergio Busquets

Position: Defensive midfielder

Country: Spain

Born: July 16, 1988, in Sabadell, Spain

Experience: 2007-present (14 years)

Teams: Barcelona B, Barcelona

Key stats: 2010 World Cup champion, three Champions League titles, eight La Liga titles

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 331

Bottom line: Sergio Busquets has been so good for so long that it can be easy to overlook his contributions to Barcelona’s success over the last decade.

He’s played alongside major stars like Xavi and Andres Iniesta in the midfield and sits behind an attack that has featured the best player in the world, but it’s Busquets’ ability to win the ball back in the midfield, distribute passes to the forwards, and steady the game when things get out of control that makes him so valuable.

In his club and international career, he’s won more than 30 trophies.

28. David De Gea

Position: Goalkeeper

Country: Spain

Born: Nov. 7, 1990, in Madrid, Spain

Experience: 2008-present (13 years)

Teams: Atletico Madrid B, Atletico Madrid, Manchester United

Key stats: Premier League winner 2012-13, five-time PFA Premier League Team of the Year, Premier League Golden Glove 2017-18

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 285

Bottom line: Like Thibaut Courtois, David De Gea has experienced the curse of being universally recognized as the best goalkeeper in the world.

Since his Golden Glove season in 2017-18, De Gea has lost confidence and is more likely to be seen committing a howler than making unbelievable saves. He kept only seven clean sheets in 38 Premier League games while allowing 54 goals in 2017-18. He’d only allowed 28 the season before.

His rating as an 88 is not based on anything he’s done in two years. Frankly, he should not be rated this high. His InStat score is a much better reflection of his current form, rating him as a well-below average player.

27. Casemiro

Position: Center defensive midfielder

Country: Brazil

Born: Feb. 23, 1992, in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil

Experience: 2010-present (11 years)

Teams: Sao Paulo, Real Madrid B (loan), Real Madrid (loan), Real Madrid, Porto (loan)

Key stats: Four Champions League titles, La Liga title 2016-17, Copa America title 2019

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 320

Bottom line: Casemiro is Real Madrid’s counterpart to Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets. He does all the dirty work in the midfield to secure possession and get the ball back to the feet of the playmakers on the squad.

But Casemiro is also capable of popping up with a goal at times, as evidenced by his rocket against Juventus in the 2017 Champions League final.

Casemiro will do all the running his team needs, covering seemingly the entire field in a match. He’s been a model of consistency for Los Blancos.

26. Kalidou Koulibaly

Position: Center back

Country: Senegal

Born: June 20, 1991, in Saint-Die-des-Vosges, France

Experience: 2009-present (12 years)

Teams: Metz II, Metz, Genk, Napoli

Key stats: Four-time Serie A Team of the Year, Serie A Best Defender 2018-19, Supercoppa Italiana Winner 2014

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 285

Bottom line: A beast in the Napoli defense, Kalidou Koulibaly has been mentioned in the same breath as players like Virgil Van Dijk and Sergio Ramos in the past few seasons, but his form, along with Napoli’s, has taken a serious dip in 2019-20.

Injuries and suspension have cost him game time, and the team that finished in second in Serie A has struggled to keep the ball out of its own net.

Koulibaly is still an ultra-talented defender who is coveted by teams all across Europe, so perhaps his fortunes will improve with a move away from Napoli. His 88 rating in FIFA could jump into the 90s with a return to top form.

25. Roberto Firmino

Position: Center forward

Country: Brazil

Born: Oct. 2, 1991, in Maceio, Brazil

Experience: 2009-present (12 years)

Teams: Figueirense, 1899 Hoffenheim, Liverpool

Key stats: Champions League title 2019, Copa America title 2019, Samba Gold 2018

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 309

Bottom line: An incredibly odd player, Bobby Firmino is a striker who seems more content to set up his teammates than to score goals himself.

It’s no coincidence that his attacking partners Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah shared the Golden Boot in the Premier League in 2018-19.

As Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp once said, "Mo Salah, world-class, but not every day. Sadio Mane, world-class, but not every day. Roberto Firmino, world-class, pretty much every day."

24. Ederson

Position: Goalkeeper

Country: Brazil

Born: Aug. 17, 1993, in Osasco, Brazil

Experience: 2011-present (10 years)

Teams: Ribeirao, Rio Ave, Benefica B, Benefica, Manchester City

Key stats: Two Premier League titles, FA Cup 2018-19, 100-plus career clean sheets

FIFA rating: 88

InStat score: 298

Bottom line: Ederson was a final piece of Pep Guardiola’s puzzle at Manchester City as he built the team into his image.

A goalkeeper who plays with his feet like a midfielder, Ederson’s distribution is an important part of the way Manchester City plays under Guardiola.

A dynamic shot-stopper in addition to his ability with his feet, it’s unfortunate for Ederson that he is from the same country as Alisson, who is considered a notch above Ederson.

23. Sergio Ramos

Position: Center back

Country: Spain

Born: March 30, 1986, in Camas, Spain

Experience: 2003-present (18 years)

Teams: Sevilla B, Sevilla, Real Madrid

Key stats: 2010 World Cup title, four Champions League titles, 2014 World Cup Golden Ball

FIFA rating: 89

InStat score: 305

Bottom line: Love him or hate him, all Sergio Ramos does is win. He’s won with Real Madrid, he’s won with Spain, he’s won team awards, and he’s won individual honors.

He’s a living legend equally adept in defense, attack, shutting down opposing superstars, and highly skilled in the dark arts of the game.

In addition to his laundry list of trophies, Ramos is the most carded player in all major European Leagues, the Champions League and the Spanish national team.

22. Manuel Neuer

Position: Goalkeeper

Country: Germany

Born: March 27, 1986, in Gelsenkirchen, West Germany

Experience: 2004-present (17 years)

Teams: Schalke 04 II, Schalke 04, Bayern Munich

Key stats: 2014 World Cup title, two-time German Footballer of the Year, seven Bundesliga titles

FIFA rating: 89

InStat score: 284

Bottom line: Sometimes it seems that Manuel Neuer forgets he’s a goalkeeper. His penchant for straying way outside the box to play the ball with his feet has become his calling card over the course of his career. He’s also a legendary player inside the penalty area.

Neuer’s been slowed by injuries the last few seasons, but he’s still one of the best. Since moving to Bayern Munich in 2011-12, he’s never allowed more than 30 goals in a season, though the 2019-20 season has been one of the worst of his career.

21. Luis Suarez

Position: Center forward

Country: Uruguay

Born: Jan. 24, 1987, in Salto, Uruguay

Experience: 2005-present (16 years)

Teams: Nacional, Groningen, Ajax, Liverpool, Barcelona

Key stats: Four La Liga titles, Champions League 2014-15, Premier League Player of the Season 2013-14

FIFA rating: 89

InStat score: 299

Bottom line: In the world of soccer, there are plenty of polarizing figures. Every team seems to have one player that you love when he’s on your squad but hate if he's on any other team. Luis Suarez is without a doubt the most polarizing figure in soccer, and potentially all of sports.

What is not up for debate is that Suarez is a dynamic goalscorer and has poured in goals for every team he’s played on. An injury cost him the second half of the 2019-20 season, but even at the age of 33, he was still producing at an extremely high level.

He’s just shy of 400 career goals in all competitions.

20. Luka Modric

Position: Midfielder

Country: Croatia

Born: Sept. 9, 1985, in Zadar, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia

Experience: 2003-present (18 years)

Teams: Dinamo Zagreb, Zrinjski Mostar (loan), Inter Zapresic (loan), Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid

Key stats: 2018 Ballon d'Or Winner, four Champions League titles, 2018 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball

FIFA rating: 89

InStat score: 292

Bottom line: The only player since 2008 not named Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or, Luka Modric is the greatest Croatian player of all time and a generational talent in the midfield.

His 2018 was legendary, leading Real Madrid to the Champions League trophy and then willing his Croatian compatriots to a surprising runner-up finish at the 2018 World Cup.

He is a maestro in the midfield, with vision, quickness, tackling ability, endless stamina and a brilliant mind. His performances in 2019 were not up to his 2018 standard, and injuries have held him back a bit.

At 34, his best days are likely behind him, but at least he got the absolute most out of his talents before they began to wane.

19. Toni Kroos

Position: Center midfielder

Country: Germany

Born: Jan. 4, 1990, in Greifswald, Germany

Experience: 2007-present (14 years)

Teams: Bayern Munich II, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen (loan), Real Madrid

Key stats: Germany Footballer of the Year 2018, four Champions League titles, 2014 World Cup title

FIFA rating: 89

InStat score: 299

Bottom line: Toni Kroos is, by a long shot, the slowest player in the top 20 FIFA ratings. His 50 acceleration and 41 sprint speed are significantly lower than anyone else near his quality.

So how does Kroos make up for his lack of speed? With stunning intelligence, world-class passing, and an unparalleled ability to read the game. His dead-ball striking ability is legendary, and opposing goalkeepers tremble in fear when he’s got a shot lined up from distance.

His lack of speed means he should be well-equipped to continue his dominance in his 30s.

18. Antoine Griezmann

Position: Forward

Country: France

Born: March 21, 1991, in Macon, France

Experience: 2009-present (12 years)

Teams: Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona

Key stats: 2018 World Cup title, 2016 European Championship Player of the Tournament, 2016 French Player of the Year

FIFA rating: 89

InStat score: 291

Bottom line: Antoine Griezmann has gotten his dream move to Barcelona, but playing alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez has cost him some of his previous goals and assists.

Griezmann's output has dropped dramatically from previous seasons, but he’s still one of the most talented strikers in the world. He was a key part of France’s 2018 World Cup win, and he led Atletico Madrid for five seasons.

Griezmann is a high-profile player and will likely remain rated as highly in FIFA, but his performances in the 2019-20 season might necessitate a slight drop for the beginning of next season.

17. Harry Kane

Position: Striker

Country: England

Born: July 28, 1993, in Walthamstow, London, England

Experience: 2009-present (12 years)

Teams: Tottenham Hotspur, Leyton Orient (loan), Millwall (loan), Norwich City (loan), Leicester City (loan)

Key stats: Two Premier League Golden Boots, two-time England Player of the Year, member of the Order of the British Empire

FIFA rating: 89

InStat score: 292

Bottom line: When it comes to pure goal scorers, not many players in the world are better than Harry Kane. Kane scores for fun and does it at a clip that very few in Premier League history have ever even approached.

But injuries have robbed him of significant time the last two seasons, ending his streak of Premier League Golden Boots. Kane also has starred for England, where he took home the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup.

If Kane can be fully fit for an entire season, he will almost always challenge for the Golden Boot.

16. Raheem Sterling

Position: Right winger

Country: England

Born: Dec. 8, 1994, in Kingston, Jamaica

Experience: 2012-present (9 years)

Teams: Liverpool, Manchester City

Key stats: FW Footballer of the Year 2018-19, two Premier League titles, 2019 FA Cup title

FIFA rating: 89

InStat score: 333

Bottom line: Raheem Sterling burst onto the Premier League scene as a 16-year-old for Liverpool and controversially transferred to Manchester City as a 20-year-old.

The decision has paid off for both him and Man City as he’s led the team to two Premier League titles and become one of the best players in the Premier League. Along with Harry Kane, Sterling is arguably the best English player.

A lot of pressure has been placed on his shoulders, but he’s lived up to the hype placed on him from his teenage days. He has over 100 career goals and is still only 25.

15. N'Golo Kante

Position: Center midfielder

Country: France

Born: March 29, 1991, in Paris, France

Experience: 2012-present (9 years)

Teams: Boulogne, Caen, Leicester City, Chelsea

Key stats: Two Premier League titles, 2018 World Cup title, Premier League Player of the Year 2016-17

FIFA rating: 89

InStat score: 283

Bottom line: Players like N'Golo Kante don’t typically receive the accolades that Kante receives, but it’s a measure of how stunning Kante is at his position that he’s so adored as a player.

The diminutive Kante leads the midfield for Chelsea and France and has been perhaps the most important player on two Premier League winning teams. Leicester City’s improbable run to the Premier League title rested on his shoulders, as did France’s 2018 World Cup win.

Kante is not a goalscorer, but that doesn’t mean he won’t weave his way through the defense and slot one home when the game calls for it. He is the highest-rate central midfielder in FIFA.

14. Kylian Mbappe

Position: Center forward

Country: France

Born: Dec. 20, 1998, in Paris, France

Experience: 2015-present (6 years)

Teams: Monaco B, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain (loan), Paris Saint-Germain

Key stats: 2018 World Cup winner, two-time French Player of the Year, two Ligue 1 titles.

FIFA rating: 89

InStat score: 384

Bottom line: Kylian Mbappe has been considered the best young player in the world for years, but it’s time to start talking about him as one of the three or four best overall players in soccer.

His rating as an 89 is egregiously low. Poll any manager in the world, and ask which player besides Messi they would build a squad around, and the answer will almost always come back as Mbappe (or maybe Virgil Van Dijk or Kevin De Bruyne).

He won a World Cup before he turned 20, he’s tallied more than 80 goals in Ligue 1 alone, and he’s only getting better. In "FIFA 21," expect Mbappe to be a top-five rated player. InStat has him rated as the third-best player in the world, a more accurate representation of his accomplishments.

13. Sergio Aguero

Position: Striker

Country: Argentina

Born: June 2, 1988, in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Experience: 2003-present (18 years)

Teams: Independiente, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City

Key stats: Four Premier League titles, Premier League Golden Boot 2014-15, 350-plus career goals

FIFA rating: 90

InStat score: 309

Bottom line: The only thing preventing Sergio Aguero from winning the Golden Boot every year, smashing goalscoring records left and right, and being universally acknowledged as the best goalscorer in the world is recurring injuries that have robbed him of significant playing time in his career.

But when Aguero is on the field, there is no one better at putting the ball into the back of the net than him. Even now in his 30s, he’s still a major goal threat.

Aguero will live forever in Premier League history because of his 94th-minute winner against Queens Park Rangers in 2012 that won the Premier League for Manchester City.

12. Marc-Andre ter Stegen

Position: Goalkeeper

Country: Germany

Born: April 20, 1992, in Monchengladbach, Germany

Experience: 2009-present (12 years)

Teams: Borussia Monchengladbach II, Borussia Monchengladbach, Barcelona

Key stats: Four La Liga titles, Champions League title, Bundesliga Goalkeeper of the Year 2011-12

FIFA rating: 90

InStat score: 280

Bottom line: Marc-Andre ter Stegen is the starting goalkeeper for Barcelona, and one of the world’s best, yet the focus often seems to be on who he is not better than.

He still doesn’t start for Germany over the legend Manuel Neuer, he’s not the best goalkeeper in La Liga (Jan Oblak), and, as reflected in the FIFA ratings, he’s seen as the third-best keeper in the world. All that said, ter Stegen is really, really good. He’s a stunningly good shot-stopper, and his distribution is a big part of Barcelona’s attacking build-up.

Every team in the world, save for two, would trade their keeper for ter Stegen in a heartbeat.

11. Sadio Mane

Position: Left winger

Country: Senegal

Born: April 10, 1992, in Sedhiou, Senegal

Experience: 2011-present (10 years)

Teams: Metz, Red Bull Salzburg, Southampton, Liverpool

Key stats: Champions League title 2019, Premier League Golden Boot 2018-19, African Footballer of the Year 2019

FIFA rating: 90

InStat score: 344

Bottom line: Fans often argue between Liverpool’s two high-scoring forwards. Is Sadio Mane better than Mohamed Salah or vice versa? Well, FIFA has had their say, and they rate them exactly the same, but the Egyptian is one notch higher in the rankings.

They’ll be glad to share 90 ratings, just like they shared the Premier League Golden Boot in 2018-19. Mane is slightly faster, but Salah has perhaps a slightly better shot on him.

Mane has become a world-class striker and one of the most feared offensive players in the world.

10. Mohamed Salah

Position: Right winger

Country: Egypt

Born: June 15, 1992, in Nagrig, Basyoun, Egypt

Experience: 2010-present (11 years)

Teams: Al Mokawloon, Basel, Chelsea, Fiorentina (loan), Roma (loan), Roma, Liverpool

Key stats: Two-time African Footballer of the Year, two Premier League Golden Boots, Time 100 2019

FIFA rating: 90

InStat score: 343

Bottom line: Mohamed Salah is one of two players in the top 10 who was deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea by Jose Mourino.

Salah’s return to the Premier League has been nothing short of sensational. All he’s done is win the Premier League Golden Boot in his first two seasons back in the league and led Liverpool to the Champions League title and Premier League title.

Along the way, he’s become arguably the most famous Arab person in the world and been named to the Time 100 most influential people on earth.

9. Alisson

Position: Goalkeeper

Country: Brazil

Born: Oct. 2, 1992, in Novo Hamburgo, Brazil

Experience: 2013-present (8 years)

Teams: Internacional, Roma, Liverpool

Key stats: Champions League Title 2019, The Best FIFA Goalkeeper 2019, Yashin Trophy 2019

FIFA rating: 90

InStat score: 310

Bottom line: Liverpool lost the 2018 Champions League final after two calamitous errors by their goalkeeper, so they immediately went out and broke the transfer record for a keeper to bring in Alisson.

In his two seasons at Liverpool, he’s been nearly perfect, winning the Champions League final in 2019 and taking home the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper in the world.

He’s got the feet and passing ability of a Brazilian midfielder, and his confidence on the ball is legendary. He is also the man for the big occasion, making incredibly important saves throughout Liverpool’s run to the Champions League trophy.

8. Eden Hazard

Position: Attacking midfielder, left winger

Country: Belgium

Born: Jan. 7, 1991, in La Louviere, Belgium

Experience: 2007-present (14 years)

Teams: Lille, Chelsea, Real Madrid

Key stats: Two Premier League titles, Premier League Player of the Season 2014-15, two Europa League titles

FIFA rating: 91

InStat score: 332

Bottom line: Often one of the first names mentioned when discussing players not named Messi or Ronaldo, Eden Hazard moved to Real Madrid before the 2019-20 season and hasn’t lived up to expectations so far.

But when he’s at his peak, he’s in rarified air. Hazard’s ability on the ball, quickness, and scoring skills are rivaled by very few. He led Chelsea to two Premier League titles and two Europa League titles and is a leader for Belgium, which finished third in the 2018 World Cup.

If Hazard can do for Real Madrid what he did for Chelsea, he should shoot back up into the top five best players in soccer.

7. Robert Lewandowski

Position: Striker

Country: Poland

Born: Aug. 21, 1988, in Warsaw, Poland

Experience: 2006-present (15 years)

Teams: Zicz Pruszkow, Lech Poznan, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich

Key stats: Seven Bundesliga titles, top scorer in 13 different competitions, seven-time Polish Footballer of the Year

FIFA rating: 91

InStat score: 343

Bottom line: In 10 Bundesliga seasons, Robert Lewandowski has only scored less than 20 goals twice. In one of those seasons, he scored 17.

All the man does is put the ball in the back of the net. He’s not a flashy player, but he is an effective one. You can set your clock to Lewandowski scoring for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.

Like his fellow 30-plus-year-old pure strikers Luis Suarez and Sergio Aguero, age is just a number. Also, just a number? Lewandowski's 300-plus career goals.

6. Kevin De Bruyne

Position: Attacking midfielder

Country: Belgium

Born: June 28, 1991, in Drongen, Ghent, Belgium

Experience: 2008-present (13 years)

Teams: Genk, Chelsea, Werder Bremen (loan), VFL Wolfsburg, Manchester City

Key stats: Two Premier League titles, Bundesliga Player of the Year 2014-15, two-time FIFA Team of the Year

FIFA rating: 91

InStat score: 350

Bottom line: Kevin De Bruyne has one of the strongest arguments for being the second or third-best player in the world, so it’s surprising to see him rated as "only" a 91.

The attacking midfielder is the best passer in the world and possesses an incredible shot. De Bruyne with the ball at his feet is one of the most dangerous players in the world. His consistency sets him above his countryman Eden Hazard, who is prone to dry spells.

De Bruyne was a Chelsea player before being sent away to the Bundesliga, where he became one of the best players in the German league and was eventually purchased by Manchester City. At City, he’s led a dynamic attack and won numerous trophies.

5. Jan Oblak

Position: Goalkeeper

Country: Slovenia

Born: Jan. 7, 1993, in Skofja Loka, Slovenia

Experience: 2009-present (11 years)

Teams: Olimpija Ljubljana, Benefica, Beira-Mar (loan), Olhanense (loan), Uniao de Leira (loan), Rio Ave (loan), Atletico Madrid

Key stats: Four-time La Liga Best Goalkeeper, Europa League 2017-18, four-time Slovenian Footballer of the Year

FIFA rating: 91

InStat score: 277

Bottom line: When it comes to declaring a "Best Goalkeeper in the World," there are really only two names that come up: Liverpool’s Alisson and Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak. Which one you pick may depend solely on style.

While Alisson is the definition of the modern goalkeeper who loves to be on the ball and lead the attack from the back, Oblak is more of an "old school" keeper.

Oblak's abilities as a shot-stopper are heavily relied upon while playing for the ultra-defensive Atletico Madrid. When it comes to pure goalkeeping talent, there is no one better than Oblak. He’s more likely to boot the ball upfield when it comes his way than other top-level keepers, but he’s also the most likely to jump into traffic to claim a dangerous cross.

At only 27, young for a goalkeeper, Oblak could hold on to his title as the world’s best for a long time.

4. Virgil van Dijk

Position: Center back

Country: Netherlands

Born: July 8, 1991, in Breda, Netherlands

Experience: 2011-present (10 years)

Teams: Groningen, Celtic, Southampton, Liverpool

Key stats: Champions League title 2019, Premier League Player of the Season 2018-19, UEFA Men’s Player of the Year 2018-19

FIFA rating: 91

InStat score: 346

Bottom line: There is no debate. Virgil van Dijk is the best defender in the world. In fact, he’s the only defender in the top 20 rated players on FIFA. Classy, strong, fast, smart, smooth on the ball, and always composed, Van Dijk is the perfect defender.

It’s notable when a player even dribbles past him, an incredibly rare occasion. Watford’s Troy Deeney once said that Van Dijk even smells good out on the field — he truly does everything well.

VVD finished in second place in the 2018-19 Ballon d’Or, a stunning finish for a defender, as only one defender has won the award in the 21st century.

3. Neymar

Position: Forward

Country: Brazil

Born: Feb., 5, 1992 in Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil

Experience: 2009-present (12 years)

Teams: Santos, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain

Key stats: Ligue 1 Player of the Year 2018-17, Champions League title 2014-15, two La Liga titles

FIFA rating: 92

InStat score: 417

Bottom line: Controversy, debate, hype, and money follow Neymar everywhere he goes. It seems impossible to get a full gauge on just how great he is.

When consistently healthy, he’s the second-best player on earth, or possibly even the best. InStat has rated him higher than Lionel Messi this season with a score of 417 to Messi’s 415. They are the only two players with scores over 400.

Neymar, however, has missed significant time due to injuries throughout his career. The injuries have cost him in the biggest moments, like at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He’s been the heir apparent to Ronaldo and Messi for nearly a decade, but those two just keep hanging on.

The fact that Neymar hasn’t won a Ballon d'Or by the age of 27 is somehow a disappointment when considering his talent and the hype that has followed him since he was a teenager at Santos. But that might have more to do with the incredible staying power of Ronaldo and Messi and less to do with Neymar himself.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

Position: Forward

Country: Portugal

Born: Feb. 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

Experience: 2002-present (19 years)

Teams: Sporting CP B, Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus

Key stats: Five-time Ballon d’Or Winner, five Champions League titles, 600-plus career goals

FIFA rating: 93

InStat score: 350

Bottom line: Is Cristiano Ronaldo still the second-best player in the world? Almost certainly not. He doesn’t do enough work off the ball, he hasn’t had double-digit assists in a season since 2014-15, and too many of his goals come off of penalties. OK, criticisms out of the way?

Ronaldo is still probably the best pure goalscorer in the world. He has a legitimate argument for being the best or the second-best to ever lace up a pair of boots. He can still leap out of a stadium to smash home a header. He’s still elite with the ball at his feet and is capable of absolute magic at any moment.

And, to top all of that off, he’s the definition of a winner. When the game is on the line, you do not want to see Ronaldo near your goal. So, sure, FIFA rates him as the second-best player because they know where their bread is buttered, and that he’s got a legion of rabid fans who would lose their minds and never buy FIFA again if he somehow fell below Neymar, Van Dijk or De Bruyne.

Should they drop him below the No. 2 spot? Yes, but he should still be in the top five.

1. Lionel Messi

Position: Forward

Country: Argentina

Born: June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina

Experience: 2003-present (18 years)

Teams: Barcelona C, Barcelona B, Barcelona

Key stats: Six-time Ballon d’Or winner, four Champions League titles, all-time top La Liga goalscorer

FIFA rating: 94

InStat score: 415

Bottom line: What is there left to say about Lionel Messi? He’s the greatest of all time, and he’s still operating at an unstoppable level in his 30s.

There is no one even close to his level. In fact, his FIFA rating at a 94 may even be unjust. Or at least there should be a gap between his rating and everyone else’s.

Oddly enough, InStat rates Neymar higher than Messi, but that may say more about InStat than Messi.

Oh, and for comparison’s sake, while Messi and Ronaldo are essentially dead even in career goals, the Argentine has over 40 more assists than Ronaldo and has done all of this in 100 fewer games.