The best players in the game
The strongest 40 players across all 28 leagues, then the top ten in each position. These are the names that decide matches — and the ones a title challenge usually has to buy.
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Every number here is Gaffa’s own in-game rating, generated for gameplay balance from publicly available squad data. They are not scouting assessments of real footballers and are not sourced from any third-party ratings provider.
Top 40 overall
| Player | Age | Position | Role | Nation | Club | League | Rating | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E. Haaland | 26 | Forward | ST | Norway | Manchester City | Premier League | 91 | £15m |
| K. Mbappé | 27 | Forward | ST | France | Real Madrid | La Liga | 91 | £14m |
| Rodri | 30 | Midfielder | CDM | Spain | Manchester City | Premier League | 90 | £8.5m |
| T. Courtois | 34 | Goalkeeper | GK | Belgium | Real Madrid | La Liga | 90 | £3.2m |
| J. Bellingham | 23 | Midfielder | CAM | England | Real Madrid | La Liga | 90 | £15m |
| Pedri | 23 | Midfielder | CM | Spain | FC Barcelona | La Liga | 90 | £14m |
| Lamine Yamal | 19 | Forward | RW | Spain | FC Barcelona | La Liga | 90 | £14m |
| H. Kane | 33 | Forward | ST | England | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 90 | £5.3m |
| M. Olise | 24 | Midfielder | RM | France | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 90 | £9.9m |
| O. Dembélé | 29 | Forward | ST | France | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 90 | £7.3m |
| Vitinha | 26 | Midfielder | CM | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 90 | £12m |
| G. Donnarumma | 27 | Goalkeeper | GK | Italy | Manchester City | Premier League | 89 | £8.1m |
| Gabriel | 28 | Defender | CB | Brazil | Arsenal | Premier League | 89 | £8.0m |
| Bruno Fernandes | 32 | Midfielder | CAM | Portugal | Manchester United | Premier League | 89 | £5.3m |
| Vini Jr. | 26 | Forward | LW | Brazil | Real Madrid | La Liga | 89 | £12m |
| K. Kvaratskhelia | 25 | Forward | LW | Georgia | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 89 | £12m |
| Nuno Mendes | 24 | Defender | LB | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 89 | £8.5m |
| W. Pacho | 24 | Defender | CB | Ecuador | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 89 | £8.2m |
| L. Messi | 39 | Midfielder | CAM | Argentina | Inter Miami | MLS | 89 | £2.6m |
| David Raya | 30 | Goalkeeper | GK | Spain | Arsenal | Premier League | 88 | £5.3m |
| D. Rice | 27 | Midfielder | CDM | England | Arsenal | Premier League | 88 | £7.8m |
| W. Saliba | 25 | Defender | CB | France | Arsenal | Premier League | 88 | £8.6m |
| V. van Dijk | 35 | Defender | CB | Holland | Liverpool | Premier League | 88 | £3.6m |
| Raphinha | 29 | Forward | LW | Brazil | FC Barcelona | La Liga | 88 | £5.6m |
| J. Oblak | 33 | Goalkeeper | GK | Slovenia | Atlético Madrid | La Liga | 88 | £3.8m |
| J. Kimmich | 31 | Midfielder | CDM | Germany | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 88 | £6.5m |
| L. Díaz | 29 | Midfielder | LM | Colombia | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 88 | £4.8m |
| A. Hakimi | 27 | Defender | RB | Morocco | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 88 | £8.1m |
| João Neves | 21 | Midfielder | CM | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 88 | £9.5m |
| Rúben Dias | 29 | Defender | CB | Portugal | Manchester City | Premier League | 87 | £4.4m |
| B. Saka | 25 | Forward | RW | England | Arsenal | Premier League | 87 | £7.2m |
| Alisson | 33 | Goalkeeper | GK | Brazil | Liverpool | Premier League | 87 | £3.3m |
| F. Valverde | 28 | Midfielder | CM | Uruguay | Real Madrid | La Liga | 87 | £7.8m |
| N. Barella | 29 | Midfielder | CM | Italy | Inter | Serie A | 87 | £4.7m |
| L. Martínez | 29 | Forward | ST | Argentina | Inter | Serie A | 87 | £5.2m |
| M. Maignan | 31 | Goalkeeper | GK | France | AC Milan | Serie A | 87 | £5.1m |
| J. Tah | 30 | Defender | CB | Germany | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 87 | £5.5m |
| D. Upamecano | 27 | Defender | CB | France | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 87 | £6.6m |
| J. Musiala | 23 | Midfielder | CAM | Germany | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 87 | £9.8m |
| G. Kobel | 28 | Goalkeeper | GK | Switzerland | Borussia Dortmund | Bundesliga | 87 | £6.3m |
Best goalkeepers
| Player | Age | Role | Club | League | Rating | Potential | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T. Courtois | 34 | GK | Real Madrid | La Liga | 90 | 90 | £3.2m |
| G. Donnarumma | 27 | GK | Manchester City | Premier League | 89 | 91 | £8.1m |
| David Raya | 30 | GK | Arsenal | Premier League | 88 | 88 | £5.3m |
| J. Oblak | 33 | GK | Atlético Madrid | La Liga | 88 | 88 | £3.8m |
| Alisson | 33 | GK | Liverpool | Premier League | 87 | 89 | £3.3m |
| M. Maignan | 31 | GK | AC Milan | Serie A | 87 | 88 | £5.1m |
| G. Kobel | 28 | GK | Borussia Dortmund | Bundesliga | 87 | 89 | £6.3m |
| Joan García | 25 | GK | FC Barcelona | La Liga | 86 | 89 | £5.8m |
| M. Carnesecchi | 26 | GK | Atalanta | Serie A | 86 | 88 | £5.0m |
| Diogo Costa | 26 | GK | FC Porto | Primeira Liga | 86 | 89 | £5.4m |
Best defenders
| Player | Age | Role | Club | League | Rating | Potential | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabriel | 28 | CB | Arsenal | Premier League | 89 | 89 | £8.0m |
| Nuno Mendes | 24 | LB | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 89 | 89 | £8.5m |
| W. Pacho | 24 | CB | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 89 | 89 | £8.2m |
| W. Saliba | 25 | CB | Arsenal | Premier League | 88 | 89 | £8.6m |
| V. van Dijk | 35 | CB | Liverpool | Premier League | 88 | 90 | £3.6m |
| A. Hakimi | 27 | RB | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 88 | 90 | £8.1m |
| Rúben Dias | 29 | CB | Manchester City | Premier League | 87 | 87 | £4.4m |
| J. Tah | 30 | CB | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 87 | 87 | £5.5m |
| D. Upamecano | 27 | CB | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 87 | 88 | £6.6m |
| N. Schlotterbeck | 26 | CB | Borussia Dortmund | Bundesliga | 87 | 88 | £6.7m |
Best midfielders
| Player | Age | Role | Club | League | Rating | Potential | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rodri | 30 | CDM | Manchester City | Premier League | 90 | 90 | £8.5m |
| J. Bellingham | 23 | CAM | Real Madrid | La Liga | 90 | 94 | £15m |
| Pedri | 23 | CM | FC Barcelona | La Liga | 90 | 93 | £14m |
| M. Olise | 24 | RM | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 90 | 90 | £9.9m |
| Vitinha | 26 | CM | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 90 | 91 | £12m |
| Bruno Fernandes | 32 | CAM | Manchester United | Premier League | 89 | 89 | £5.3m |
| L. Messi | 39 | CAM | Inter Miami | MLS | 89 | 89 | £2.6m |
| D. Rice | 27 | CDM | Arsenal | Premier League | 88 | 88 | £7.8m |
| J. Kimmich | 31 | CDM | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 88 | 89 | £6.5m |
| L. Díaz | 29 | LM | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 88 | 88 | £4.8m |
Best forwards
| Player | Age | Role | Club | League | Rating | Potential | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E. Haaland | 26 | ST | Manchester City | Premier League | 91 | 92 | £15m |
| K. Mbappé | 27 | ST | Real Madrid | La Liga | 91 | 94 | £14m |
| Lamine Yamal | 19 | RW | FC Barcelona | La Liga | 90 | 95 | £14m |
| H. Kane | 33 | ST | FC Bayern München | Bundesliga | 90 | 90 | £5.3m |
| O. Dembélé | 29 | ST | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 90 | 90 | £7.3m |
| Vini Jr. | 26 | LW | Real Madrid | La Liga | 89 | 92 | £12m |
| K. Kvaratskhelia | 25 | LW | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 89 | 90 | £12m |
| Raphinha | 29 | LW | FC Barcelona | La Liga | 88 | 89 | £5.6m |
| B. Saka | 25 | RW | Arsenal | Premier League | 87 | 90 | £7.2m |
| L. Martínez | 29 | ST | Inter | Serie A | 87 | 88 | £5.2m |
Common questions
Can I sign any of these players?
In principle, if you can afford the fee and the wages and they fancy the move. In practice the very top of this list is out of reach for most clubs in their first season, which is rather the point of a career save.
Do these ratings match other football games?
No. They are Gaffa’s own numbers, built for balance inside this match engine from public squad data. Comparing them to another game’s ratings is not meaningful.
How often does this list change?
It is regenerated whenever the squad data is rebuilt, which happens each season. Within a save, ratings move as players develop, age and lose form.
Go and sign them
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