EA Sports have announced the 40-31 top-rated players on FIFA 19 ahead of the game's highly-anticipated release on September 28.Every year the top 100 players are unveiled in stages, starting with 100-81 and followed by the next 20 and the 20 after that.And when it gets down to the top 10, it's always the same few names who dominate.Cristiano Ronaldo was FIFA 18's highest-rated player on 94, with Lionel Messi second (93), Neymar third (92) and Luis Suarez fourth (92).One man who was expected to crack the top 10 on FIFA 19 after coming 18th on the previous version was Gareth Bale.The Welshman was rated 89 last year and had a fantastic season with Real Madrid, netting 16 goals in 26 La Liga games and scoring a stunning overhead kick in the Champions League final.A higher rating was deserved, yet EA have actually downgraded Bale from 89 to 88. He's now only the 31st top-rated player on FIFA somehow.

EA DOWNGRADE BALE

Outrageous - how can someone with 95 pace, 88 shooting, 84 passing, 85 dribbling and 76 physical only be rated 88 overall?

Just to put those numbers into perspective, Lorenzo Insigne is also rated 88 but only better than Bale in one area - dribbling.

Here are Insigne's stats: 90 pace, 76 shooting, 84 passing, 91 dribbling and 50 physical.

No doubt Bale will be disappointed with his lowly rating of 88, but at least he has the support of football fans, who are all arguing that the 29-year-old should be in the top 10.

Here are the 40-31 highest-rated players on FIFA 19:

40: LORENZO INSIGNE - 88

39: SAMIR HANDANOVIC - 88

38: GONZALO HIGUAIN - 88

37: CASEMIRO - 88

36: JAMES RODRIGUEZ - 88

35: GIANLUIGI BUFFON - 88

34: CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN - 88

33: PAUL POGBA - 88

32: SERGIO BUSQUETS - 88

31: GARETH BALE - 88