Another player who has apparently gone up is Rafael, who would seem to have risen one point from his rating of 78 in FIFA 14. Which is something of a surprise considering the fullback enjoyed a less-than-impressive season at Manchester United in 2013-14. The Brazilian endured an injury-stricken campaign and was limited to just 19 Premier League appearances last term, so we find this one a little odd. He may well be United's undisputed first-choice right-back when fit, however, that is owed to a lack of better options rather than to his ability as a defender. Rafael is apparently on a list of outcasts new manager Louis van Gaal is considering ditching this summer as he prepares an overhaul of his squad so this apparently-favourable rating may well benefit a club other than United by the time FIFA 15 hits store shelves. Whatever the case, a rating of 79 is certainly overly-generous and does not adequately reflect the fullback's performances throughout the course of the 2013-14 season, and it might have made better sense to keep his rating at 78 considering he scarcely played.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
