FIFA 21, the video game from EA Sports, is something of a cultural phenomenon that continues to delight soccer fans and players around the world.
Every year they release a new version of the game, with players pouring over their own statistics to see if they correlate with real life. It is always a cause for debate, whether a certain player is fast enough, skilful enough or strong enough. This year is no different, with debate becoming increasingly intense, according to iNews.
The game dropped in Fall for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 as well as Xbox One and the new Xbox S Series. It is also available on PC and is the first to appear on the next generation of consoles.
PC gamers were left aghast when it was revealed by Electronic Arts that they would be getting a version comparable to the PS4, not the next-gen machines. The odd choice didn’t go down well, especially as PC gamers can modify their hardware far easier than console owners. Adorama’s selection of computer accessories demonstrates the array of options PC gamers have when upgrading their gear. Cables, keyboards, graphics cards and a host of other accessories can be added, meaning they could have kept up with the new generation of consoles, if they had so wished. Still, that didn’t affect the popularity of the game, nor the debate around who is the best player, not just overall, but by nationality, league and club.
Naturally, the USMNT feature highly on the roster, with the following five players rated as the very best we have on our team right now.
Christian Pulisic – 81
Credit – Erik Drost, USMNT vs. Trinidad and Tobago (48125021277), CC BY 2.0
Pulisic wears the number 10 shirt for English club Chelsea and is the best USMNT player by some distance on the game. He is certainly quick, packing 89 pace on his standard card, with 84 dribbling and just 70 shooting. In real life, the 22-year-old has an exciting career ahead of him, with 14 goals in 34 appearances for his country already, the last of which came in October 2009 as Cuba was thrashed 7-0.
Tyler Adams – 76
Credit – Arturo Pardavila III, NYRB-Chelsea (5), CC BY 2.0
21-year-old Adams hit the headlines this year when he scored in the quarter-final of the Champions League, becoming the first American to score in the latter stages of the competition. Adams is one of five players marooned on a rating of 76 on FIFA, with jumping and stamina the highest attributes on his card as 83 and 86 respectively.
Zack Steffen – 76Credit – Jamie Smed, Zack Steffen on June 9, 2019, CC BY 2.0
Goalkeeper Steffen signed for English club Manchester City in July 2019 but has spent much time out on loan in Germany with Dusseldorf. He has 19 caps for the USMNT and is another player with a 76 card. His biggest attributes, according to EA Sports, are his reflexes of 83, followed by diving of 77.
John Brooks – 76
Credit – Steindy, Austria vs. USA 2013-11-19 (085), CC BY-SA 3.0
Central defender Brooks was born in Berlin, the son of a Chicago serviceman. He has been capped 39 times by the USMNT, but has played all of his domestic football in Europe, with Hertha Berlin and more recently, Wolfsburg. He has a decent pace rating for a central defender, 72, whilst his heading is up at 82, no surprise as he is 6ft 4in tall.
DeAndre Yedlin – 76
Credit – IIJ Events, DeAndre Yedlin training 2014 Brazil (cropped), CC BY-SA 2.0
Born and raised in Seattle, Yedlin made the jump from the Sounders to English side Tottenham Hotspur in 2015. He enjoyed a loan spell with Sunderland, before making a permanent move to Newcastle, where he was a Championship winner in 2017. He is devastatingly quick in real life, an attribute reflected in his pace rating of 92. He is also very agile and a great budget option for players wanting pace in the right-back position.
