FIFA 20 winter ratings refresh: Every Ligue 1 player to receive an upgrade
After weeks of anticipation, EA Sports finally released the Winter Refresh for FIFA 20.
Following the close of the big European transfer windows, fans have been looking forward to seeing to seeing FIFA 20 updated to mirror current rosters ahead of the second half of the season.
As well as that, players to have shone in the first half of 2019/20 were set to be rewarded with improved ratings to reflect their performances.
However, this year things appear to be different. Instead of the full database getting a variety of rating changes, from +1 to +6 in some instances in FIFA 19, just the top 50 players from around the world to have made the biggest improvement have been upgraded. These players have all been handed an upgrade of at least +3.
Of the top 50 players, eight ply their trade in Ligue 1, but who are they?
Players to have improved by the same amount have been ranked based on their overall rating.
8. Yoann Court (+3)
Age: 30
Current club: Brest
Position: RM
FIFA rating: 72 – 75
Key stat: Only Angel Di Maria (12) has recorded more assists than Yoann Court (seven) in Ligue 1 this season.
Brest are doing fairly well in Ligue 1 having been promoted at the end of last season, looking a comfortable distance away from the relegation zone as things stand. One man who has been key to that is midfielder Yoann Court, and his performances have brought an upgrade on FIFA 20.
7. Boubakary Soumare (+3)
Age: 20
Current club: Lille
Position: CDM
FIFA rating: 72 – 75
Key stat: Boubakary Soumare has averaged 50.25 completed passes per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 this season.
Lille have been an impressive side this season and Boubakary Soumare is one of those to have received many plaudits. As a result of his fine performances in midfield, the Frenchman has been linked with a move to the Premier League in the summer with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea all reportedly interested.
6. Gabriel (+3)
Age: 22
Current club: Lille
Position: CB
FIFA rating: 73 – 76
Key stat: Gabriel has made 72 clearances in Ligue 1 this season.
Slightly further back, Soumare’s teammate Gabriel has also performed well enough to be rewarded with a boost on FIFA 20. The centre-back has missed just six of Lille’s 37 games across all competitions as they push for another Champions League appearance.
5. Predrag Rajkovic (+3)
Age: 24
Current club: Reims
Position: GK
FIFA rating: 73 – 76
Key stat: Predrag Rajkovic has saved 77.46% of the shots he has faced in Ligue 1 this season, the second-best record of any goalkeeper to play at least five games.
Reims are comfortable in Ligue 1 this season, sitting eighth, and have the best defensive record in the league. A large reason for that has been the presence of Predrag Rajkovic in goal, with the 24-year-old proving unbeatable at times.
4. Gautier Larsonneur (+3)
Age: 22
Current club: Brest
Position: GK
FIFA rating: 73 – 76
Key stat: Gautier Larsonneur (92) has made more saves than any other Ligue 1 goalkeeper this season.
Another goalkeeper getting some Winter Refresh love is Brest shot-stopper Gautier Larsonneur. Like Court, Larsonneur has been key to Brest’s comfortable position in Ligue 1 despite being the busiest goalkeeper in the division. A well-earned upgrade.
3. Victor Osimhen (+3)
Age: 21
Current club: Lille
Position: ST
FIFA rating: 74 – 77
Key stat: Only Wissam Ben Yedder (16) and Kylian Mbappe (15) have scored more Ligue 1 goals this season than Victor Osimhen (13).
A Future Star of FIFA 20, Victor Osimhen has proven himself more than worthy of this upgrade after an impressive first half of 2019/20. The Nigerian is tough to defend against, with strength in the air and a respectable conversion rate contributing to his 13 league goals so far.
2. Islam Slimani (+3)
Age: 31
Current club: Monaco
Position: ST
FIFA rating: 74 – 77
Key stat: Islam Slimani has been directly involved in 16 Ligue 1 goals this season, scoring nine and recording seven assists.
The former Leicester City striker has been overshadowed slightly by his team-mate Ben Yedder, but Islam Slimani’s improvements this season have been rewarded. Thanks, in part, to Slimani’s efforts, Monaco are pushing for a European spot having been so close to relegation last season.
1. Andrei Girotto (+4)
Age: 27
Current club: Nantes
Position: CB
FIFA rating: 73 – 77
Key stat: Andrei Girotto (95) has made more clearances than any other Nantes player in Ligue 1 this season.
The only Ligue 1 player to have received an upgrade of more than three, Andrei Girotto has been rewarded for his impressive performances at the back for Nantes. Although they currently sit 12th in Ligue 1 and have conceded more goals than they have scored, Girotto’s attempts to remedy that haven’t been ignored.
