FIFA 22 has officially hit the shelves.
It's that time of year where gamers and football fans alike start sinking their teeth into the latest instalment of the beautiful game's digital counterpart.
And while the new game hasn't exactly been well received with crazy glitches and poor reviews galore, that hasn't made it any less fascinating to debate the latest set of player ratings.
FIFA 22 ratings
EA Sport's near-impossible annual task of objectively ranking the world's best players always makes for controversy and debate both from supporters and the players themselves.
However, what's perhaps more impressive and difficult than conjuring up ratings out of 100 for every single player in the game is breaking down the individual statistics that inform the total.
Solskjaer SACKING Close? Man Utd news (Football Terrace)
FIFA players will know that there are more than just the six key stats on players' FUT cards that inform how they operate in the game with everything from 'reactions' to 'aggression' considered.
As a result, we wanted to take a closer look at who exactly EA Sports thought was the best player in the world for each of their in-game attributes for FIFA 22.
Best player for every in-game attribute
Using the player database over at Futhead, we have been able to identify the best in the business for the main in-game attributes of outfield players in the new game - and the results are fascinating.
So, without further ado, find out who EA Sports consider to be the world's best finisher, long-range passer, slide-tackler and everything in between down below:
PACE
Acceleration: Adama Traore and Kylian Mbappe - 97
Sprint Speed: Kylian Mbappe - 97
Pretty routine, this, because Mbappe and Traore both lay legitimate claim to the status of the fastest footballers in history. The PSG star just about ousts his Spanish rival on this occasion.
SHOOTING
Positioning: Thomas Muller - 96
Finishing: Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Lionel Messi - 95
Shot Power: Aleksandar Kolarov - 95
Long shots: Lionel Messi - 94
Volleys: James Rodriguez and Luis Suarez - 90
Penalties: Neymar - 93
While Messi rightfully takes top spot in many of these in-game attributes, are we alone in thinking that naming him the best at long shots in world football takes things one step too far?
Meanwhile, Rodriguez's volleying throne might be down to some 2014 World Cup nostalgia and despite the Aston Villa catastrophe, Bruno Fernandes should be topping Neymar for penalties.
DRIBBLING
Dribbling: Lionel Messi - 96
Agility: Neymar - 96
Balance: Nayel Mehssatou and Ryan Fraser - 96
Reactions: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller - 94
Ball control: Lionel Messi - 96
Composure: Lionel Messi - 96
Here's where Messi really starts to come into his own because EA Sports are giving him the thumbs up left, right and centre for the attributes that make him such a deft and deadly dribbler.
And with all the respect in the world to Mehssatou and Fraser, we're not 100 per cent sure what they have in their locker that gives them a better sense of balance than, say, Neymar and Messi.
DEFENDING
Interceptions: N'Golo Kante - 91
Heading accuracy: Leonardo Pavoletti and Luuk de Jong - 93
Marking: Virgil van Dijk - 92
Standing tackle: N'Golo Kante - 93
Sliding tackle: Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 92
Defensive awareness: Giorgio Chiellini - 93
Considering one-third of Earth is covered by Kante, it only makes sense that he would be FIFA 22's primary interceptor and he even bags the standing tackle crown for good measure.
Chiellini might feel a little lucky to oust Van Dijk for defensive acumen, but it's hard to have too many complaints with Wan-Bissaka and De Jong being garlanded for slide-tackling and heading.
PASSING
Vision: Lionel Messi - 95
Crossing: Kevin De Bruyne - 94
Free-kick accuracy: Lionel Messi - 94
Short passing: Kevin De Bruyne - 94
Long passing: Toni Kroos and Kevin De Bruyne - 93
Curve: Ricardo Quaresma - 94
It only seems right that Quaresma would top the curve charts with his 'Trivela' brilliance, while De Bruyne leading the way with crossing and Messi topping free-kick accuracy also feels appropriate.
All in all, it's pretty hard to have many complaints with the winners in the passing category.
PHYSICALITY
Jumping: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lucas Moura - 95
Stamina: N'Golo Kante - 97
Strength: Adebayo Akinfenwa - 97
Aggression: Klaus Gjasula, Pablo Perez and Ben Pearson - 95
Should Moura really be level with Ronaldo when it comes to jumping? We're a little surprised, it must be said, but it's certainly not shocking to see Akinfenwa retain his gold medal for strength.
As for what Gjasula, Perez and Pearson have done to earn their status as football's most aggressive players, we'll have to leave that to Darmstadt 98, Newell's Old Boys and Bournemouth fans.
Eight victories for Messi
Can we just take a moment to sit back and gaze in awe at how many categories that Messi wins?
It's staggering to think that amongst all the variety in talent across the different attributes that a single player, though admittedly an all-time great, would come out on top in eight areas out of 30.
And while, yes, Kante and De Bruyne also do fantastically well to wrestle away the competition in certain categories, even their midfield mastery can't lay a glove on Messi's transcendent brilliance.
ENTER GIVEAWAY
Then again, perhaps that's par for the course when you're the highest-rated player on the game and could soon have a seventh(!!!) Ballon d'Or title to show for it.