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The 10 most improved players in FIFA 17
Which FIFA 17 players have received the biggest ratings boosts from last year? We find out.
FIFA 17’s most improved players
© EA Sports
Every football season is full of ebbs and flows, and that rang more true last year than ever before. Not only did we see one of the greatest underdog victories ever when Leicester City lifted the Premier League trophy, but we saw a multitude of outstanding performances from unexpected players in all of Europe's major leagues, from the Bundesliga and La Liga, to Serie A and Ligue 1.
The question is: does a quality season guarantee a player a ratings boost in next year's edition of FIFA? Well, usually yes. Most players will only go up or down by a few points, but a select few have seasons of such impact and quality that they'll get a big stats boost from the ratings gods.
We've been hunting down those players in FIFA 17, and here they are, starting with a man that you no doubt guessed would be on this list.
Riyad Mahrez
Although the likes of Jamie Vardy, Danny Drinkwater and many others had a huge hand in propelling Leicester City to last year's Premier League title win, Mahrez was the standout performer for the Foxes, conjuring magic in their biggest games to carry them over the line. As such, he's received a 12-point boost to his overall rating this year, with his passing, shooting and dribbling all getting some much deserved attention, at +7, +11, and +8 respectively.
Dele Alli
Another of last year's impressive Premier League performers, Dele Alli's rapid rise to prominence surprised everyone, except perhaps those who had seen him dominate games at MK Dons before his move to Tottenham Hotspur. Alli was impressive for club and country last year, and is growing into a complete box-to-box midfielder, as capable in the tackle as he is going forward and creating goals. As such, his whole game has been upgraded significantly in FIFA 17, and his overall rating has jumped from 67 to 80.
This group of players have definitely improved
© EA Sports
Paulo Dybala
We raved about the 'new Messi' in multiple pieces last year, and quite right too – Dybala is growing into an unstoppable attacking force, and he may just be this year's must buy player in Career Mode. In FIFA 16, you could expect Dybala to grow from 78 to around 88 overall if you gave him plenty of playing time and training. Well, this year, he starts at 85 overall already. His boost is only +7 overall, but it includes a very useful +10 to his physical stats, and that 85 overall is a massive improvement for a 22 year old. Sign him up.
Mikel Oyarzabal
Real Sociedad's Oyarzabal had a pretty phenomenal season last year by all accounts. At just 18 years old, he made his first team debut for Sociedad, and went on to score six goals in 23 appearances for La Real, reeling off a string of impressive performances that earned him a call up to the Spanish national squad, just a month after his nineteenth birthday. As a result, Oyarzabal is this year's most improved player, with EA awarding him a whopping 21 point improvement on his overall rating, including +26 shooting, +24 dribbling, and +15 passing!
Mahmoud Dahoud
Dahoud's impressive season last year did not go unnoticed by Europe's elite, and the Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder has been a man in demand this summer. His star rose significantly with his dominant displays against Manchester City in the Champion's League, but he was a constant threat in the Bundesliga too, earning numerous man of the match awards and contributing five goals in his 32 games. This year he's jumped from 60 to 79 overall, with his shooting, passing and dribbling all improving by 14 points or more.
Mauricio Lemos
We picked out Lemos in our Russian Premier League wonderkids feature, and he's also attracted the attention of EA's stats gurus after some impressive performances for Las Palmas in the second half of last season. He's still young, but at 80 overall now, Lemos is surely an incredibly strong signing for those who are looking for a centre back to anchor their Career Mode squad. He's had decent upgrades across the board, but it's his defensive stats that have really benefitted, jumping a massive 17 points.
Yoan Cardinale
OGC Nice keeper Cardinale started as the third-choice goalkeeper at the beginning of last year and his relative lack of height meant he wasn’t an obvious candidate to become a potential superstar. But injuries to the two players above him in the pecking order meant Cardinale was given a chance and he grabbed it with both hands, reeling off a series of impressive performances. His 17-point improvement in FIFA 17 includes a huge +25 to his handling, as well as +10 diving, +19 kicking, +12 reflexes and +22 positioning.
Which of these players tops your list?
© EA Sports
Alex Iwobi
Any regular Premier League watchers will have noticed Iwobi's performances. The Arsenal teenager took no time settling into the first team, scoring on starting debut against Everton, and scoring again in his next game against Watford. He's also earned himself five caps for Nigeria. Unlike others on this list, he hasn't been transformed into first-team material just yet, but his 70 overall rating is still 15 points higher than last year, and includes very solid improvements across all of his stats, making him a really excellent Career Mode prospect.
Kevin Stewart
The Liverpool midfielder struggled with injuries while on loan during the first half of last season, but when he returned to Liverpool in the new year, he looked a completely new player under Jürgen Klopp, and rewarded his manager's faith by turning in multiple high quality performances for the Liverpool first team. Stewart is tough, physical and good on the ball, a very capable defensive midfielder, and was rightly rewarded with a 20-point boost to his overall, taking him from 52 to 72. His shooting, passing and defending stats have improved by 21, 18 and 15 respectively, making him a very useful cog in your midfield.
Kingsley Coman
Coman has been underrated for a couple of seasons now, both in terms of his overall rating and his Career Mode potential. Thankfully, this is the year that EA have decided to push him to the big time, rewarding him for his excellent season at Bayern Munich last year with an 81 overall rating. That's a 12-point improvement over last year – 69 was woefully low for a player of his calibre – and the boosts to his pace, shooting, passing, dribbling and physical stats make him one of FIFA 17s scariest wingers around.
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