Mohamed Salah matches Kylian Mbappé as EA Sports FC26 names top 26 players

EA Sports has published its FC26 top-26 player ratings, naming Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé as the game's joint highest-rated players at 91.

Salah earned the rating after a campaign in which he scored 34 goals, provided 23 assists and helped Liverpool reclaim the Premier League title under Arne Slot. Mbappé, who registered 43 goals and five assists in 2024-25, is credited with the same overall score in the virtual rankings.

The 90-rating bracket is densely populated. Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder Jude Bellingham—one of the game's cover stars after back-to-back standout seasons in European competition and LaLiga—is rated 90 alongside Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who maintained a high strike rate despite an injury-hit campaign. Ousmane Dembélé, credited by many observers for decisive contributions as PSG secured a long-sought Champions League title, also sits at 90. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk retains his place among the highest-rated players after leading his club to domestic success, and Rodri keeps a 90 overall despite missing most of the year recovering from an ACL injury.

EA Sports' list continues with an 89 group that includes Barcelona's Yamal, who enjoyed a breakthrough season, and others such as Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior, Barcelona midfielders Pedri and Federico Valverde, and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The 88s feature Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Gabriel, Bayern's Jamal Musiala, Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak, and veteran forward Robert Lewandowski.

The ratings arrive with less than a month to go before the Ballon d'Or ceremony, and they sharpen discussion about who could claim individual honours. Mbappé said on French television that he believes Dembélé is deserving of the Ballon d'Or, telling TF1: "Does Ousmane Dembélé deserve it? Of course! If it were up to me, I'd deliver it to his house." Salah has publicly described this campaign as his "best chance" to win the prize after helping Liverpool to silverware.

EA Sports released the ratings as part of its build-up to the annual update of its franchise, offering a snapshot that blends statistical production with subjective assessments of influence, consistency and reputation. The list reflects recent club achievements, with Paris Saint-Germain players prominent following their Champions League triumph and Liverpool's contingent rewarded for domestic success.

The ratings are expected to fuel debate among fans and pundits ahead of FC26's release and the Ballon d'Or vote. EA Sports' annual rankings often influence perceptions of player standing in the run-up to major awards, but the company frames the numbers as an in-game metric rather than a direct predictor of prize outcomes.

EA Sports published the top-26 list on Sept. 8, 2025, ahead of the game's launch later this year and as national teams prepare for international fixtures. The company did not publish full position-by-position breakdowns beyond the announced top tier, but the release highlights how club form, continental success and injury records were weighted in this edition's assessments.