Kylian Mbappé has got the same launch overall rating for five straight releases. On paper, that suggests nothing has changed. But in case of Ultimate Team, it's a completely different story.

Between FIFA 22 and EA Sports FC 26, the French superstar has received multiple 97, 98, and 99-rated promo cards. This reflects his real-world performances rather than altering his launch item. That's why it is one of the most unusual rating arcs in the franchise.

Mbappé's base rating hasn't changed, but everything around it has

*As of the current EA Sports FC 26 Ultimate Team cycle.

EA has never increased its launch rating for the past five seasons. His annual upgrades have largely come through promotional content like live performances, Team of the Year selections, Team of the Season campaigns, and FUTTIES.

How his cards looked like in FIFA games

Base card (91 OVR)

• 97 Pace
• 88 Shooting
• 92 Dribbling

His 91 OVR base card was already lethal: 97 Pace and 92 Dribbling made him FIFA 22's most feared striker. And that's because FIFA 22 heavily relied on explosive pace and agile dribbling. That's why EA didn't increase his base overall.

Instead, the developers rewarded his season with successive Team of the Week, Player of the Month, Team of the Year, and Team of the Season cards.

FIFA 23 again came with a 91 OVR Mbappé base card. But this was the game where the Frenchman got his first 99 OVR card, thanks to a FUTTIES release.

The jump to 99 OVR wasn't random: Mbappé won Ligue 1 and the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot. Those IRL performances were bound to reflect on the game, and they did.

Other notable FIFA 23 cards included:

• 97 Team of the Year
• 97 Team of the Season
• Multiple 93-97 promotional items

What the FC era showed

EA Sports FC 24 continued the trend. Mbappé had a brilliant season for Paris Saint-Germain, which was actually his last at that club. Still, that couldn't push his base rating beyond 91 OVR. He eventually reached 98 OVR with multiple 97-rated variants, courtesy of the Ultimate Team updates.

His transfer to Real Madrid before EA Sports FC 25 changed his club badge and chemistry links. But that time too, his base rating remained the same. For the second time, he got his 99-rated Ultimate Team card in this game.

EA FC 26 shows EA's philosophy hasn't changed

EA Sports FC 26 again launches Mbappé as a 91-rated striker. But now he comes with additional left-wing eligibility. His base attributes remain built around elite pace (97), finishing (90), and dribbling (92).

Within months of launch, his Ultimate Team catalog had already expanded to multiple 96-98 rated cards.

Interestingly, Mbappé's history shows the difference between base ratings and Ultimate Team progression. Launch ratings are designed to represent a player's expected level across an entire season. But promotional cards reward exceptional campaigns, tournament performances, and in-season form.

EA itself notes that its official ratings pages only reflect launch Gold, Silver, and Bronze items, with campaign cards released separately throughout the year. That approach explains why Mbappé has remained a 91-rated player since FIFA 22. Even as his Ultimate Team cards repeatedly climbed into the 98 and 99 range.

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Written by

Nilendu Brahma