Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi miss out as 2 women’s football stars become joint-highest rated players after EA Sports FC 24 ratings leak online

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are not among the highest-rated players in the upcoming football video game, EA Sports FC 24. The pair, who stood at the top of the rankings in the game for over a decade, have been dethroned, as two women's footballers have taken the top spot.

A leak on TikTok has revealed that Chelsea's Sam Kerr and Barcelona's Alexia Putellas, rated 91, are the highest-rated players in the game. The 2024 edition will mark the first time women will be part of the popular Ultimate Team game mode.

Alongside the pair, Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne are the only others to receive a 91-rated card. The Norwegian striker was recently named the cover star of the game.

Five players will take the second sport with a rating of 90. These include Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema and Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski amongst the men. Lyon's Wendie Renard, Barcelona's Caroline Graham Hansen, and San Diego Wave's Alex Morgan have also reached the 90 mark.

Ronaldo has an 83 rating on the game while Messi is rated 88.

This edition will mark the first time the game will not have the FIFA moniker attached to it. Notable changes have been made to the playing experience, including new commentators and improvements in the Pro Clubs game mode.

Argentina Women's footballer hits back after receiving criticism over Messi-Ronaldo row

Argentina forward Yamila Rodriguez has fired back at critics after she revealed that she was a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo. In an Instagram story, the 25-year-old claimed that she does not hate Lionel Messi and urged fans to stop sending her hate messages.

Rodriguez said:

"At what point did I say I'm 'Anti Messi'? Stop saying things that I didn't say because the truth is that I'm having a bad time (in the middle of a World Cup while representing my country). I'm not having a bad time because of you [the fans] but for the atrocities that are said, without mercy. Can't you have an idol or a player you like?"

"I never said that I am 'Anti Messi,' I never would be. Messi is our great captain of the National Team, but the fact that I say that my idol and my inspiration is CR7 does not mean that I hate Messi... I like another player more, the one who inspired me. What is the problem?

The attacker, who is playing her first World Cup, has a tattoo of Ronaldo on her left shin. She also has Argentina legend Diego Maradona inked on her left thigh.