Is Neymar the best player on FIFA?

The FIFA 20 cover was recently leaked, and Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar, Jr. has made his way onto the cover. With Gamestop accidentally “leaking” the picture online before the intended release date (September 27, 2019), fans now have a new argument to keep them going well into next season: Is Neymar the best player on FIFA?

 

Neymar Rankings in FIFA

The most recent rankings for Neymar, Jr. in the immediate past FIFA offering showcase a player who is on the verge of primetime: 92 PAC, 84 SHO, 83 PAS, 95 DRI, 32 DEF and 59 PHY. FIFA places Neymar’s dribbing at 95, his highest attribute. His physicality and defense are the lowest ranking features, at 59 and 32, respectively. A year later, he has made the cover. According to the game makers, he can’t really improve much on offense. Does this mean that Neymar showcased more physicality (which means better defense by default) and is now a more balanced player?

 

The Cover Design

The cover design itself has been noted as quite different from previous titles. This corresponds with the upgrades that the game is taking this year, which have been reported to be more drastic than previous versions of the game.

Pitch Notes reports that FIFA 20 will feature better AI Teammate and AI Defense, two elements that Neymar, Jr. was seen as weak in last season. The game will introduce planned tackling, which requires a level of strategy and physicality that was simply not present in FIFA 19 and previous games. With a complete overhaul of the defense system, including manual defense, the game is taking a new direction into what many would consider more balanced gameplay. Does the improvement of the game defensively correspond to Neymar, Jr.’s improvements in these areas as well?

Improvements in passing are right around the corner as well. The introduction of “dinked” passing will allow manual players to simulate the movement of great dribblers like Neymar, Jr. in a much more realistic fashion. If you have always wanted to lift and pass or have a way to casually avoid the legs of defenders, you get that feature in FIFA 20.

 

Gentlemen, Place Your Bets

The overhaul that FIFA 20 is bringing to the genre of virtual football could be a boon for gaming as well. With a higher level of precision in online gaming environments comes a greater level of gamesmanship. The virtual game now represents the real game more closely, so the strategies that work in the real world are much more likely to work in FIFA 20.

The trend of the virtual and real world being more intertwined is a common theme. Take for example the growth of live dealers in online casino games. This means that you can play on a site like Casumo whilst somewhat experiencing the atmosphere of the real thing. The same is increasingly being demonstrated by other gaming titles, FIFA included.

Like many other games, we all know football is a game of inches. The new controls that the game introduces in FIFA 20 allow for a higher level of subtle gaming. The slick moves that separate the great players from the good ones are now at your fingertips. Players that become good with those moves will better emulate the real-life actions on the field of play that win or lose games. Individual rankings also become more important, because you must be in charge of a player who can execute these moves in order for them to work.

Whether or not you think that Neymar, Jr. should be on the cover, the new changes that are coming in FIFA 20 are sure to create a new level of excitement in the series. Players now have the ability to use their individual talents and manual dexterity to create opportunities. When you combine this kind of playability with players who love unpredictability like Neymar, Jr., you get an exciting game that is sure to please.

Sources: sportbible.com / futhead.com