TOTSSF Messi

Lockdown Over? Everyone has one… that player who simply jives with your playstyle.  You can count on them to deliver in any circumstance, they fight for the badge, and you know that you have a better chance of winning with them in your squad. While I could go on about my backline, and TOTY de Jong; this review is reserved for the attackers.  The list is a short one, but these have been my go-to options this year so far; FUT Bday Antoine Griezmann, any special version of Mohamed Salah, and any version of Lionel Messi.  With that in mind I came into this review with astronomical expectations of what TOTSSF Lionel Messi could produce in my squad.  Sometimes this type of hype can overwhelm a card and leave me disappointed in the result, and I was hoping Messi would not fall victim to this issue.  To help bolster Messi’s already ridiculous stats I went with the HAWK chemistry style and then played Messi as the Left ST in the 4-4-2 formation.  In the end Messi proved to be the true GOAT all weekend long in the following squad:
 

Overall

Rating: 9.8/10
Pace Rating: 9.9/10
Dribbling Rating: 9.9/10
Shooting Rating: 9.6/10
Passing Rating: 9.8/10
Physical Rating: 9.5/10
Defending Rating: N/A

And there you have it! The best player I have reviewed in FIFA 20 thus far.  I realize the “oh 99 Messi is good, I did not see that coming” comments are furiously being typed.  However, this card was on another level than the other expensive and high rated options I have tried.  If you follow me on Twitter @IVIaeday you will know that Messi had a fantastic weekend… and honestly, 27 goals and 13 assists in 20 matches do not begin to paint the picture.  This weekend was riddled with gameplay issues, delays, and unexplainable moments… then you add in that I had 7 people quit in my first 20 matches… and only then do you truly see how amazing the returns with this card were.  The key strength of Messi is that he does not have any real weakness.  After applying the HAWK chemistry style Messi moves to 99 base stats in PACE, DRIBBLING, SHOOTING, & PASSING.. while 68 AGGRESSION is the only thing keeping him from a 90 overall PHYSICAL as well.  The card is unflinching, and even in the quagmire of poor gameplay he still performed.

Linkability 

Linkability Rating: 4/5

Just about unlimited options to get Messi into any squad.  I would have gone with a 4.5/5 if he was in a centralized position, but if you want to try him, you will find a way.  Personally, I went back to TOTY de Jong this weekend and there really is no midfielder like him for me. 

End Game Strength

End Game Strength Rating: 5/5

Obviously an easy category given the qualities with this card.  The combination of a smaller player type with 95 AGILITY & 97 BALANCE is mesmerizing on the ball.  The speed that Messi turns defenders is incredible, and the left stick dribbling means that you are only a touch away from abruptly moving the opposite direction.  The 4 STAR SKILLS and 99 ACCELERATION create a situation where Messi executes dribbles with ease and then explodes into the space you have created.  It was interesting keeping track of this week’s MOTM performances (which again are on my Twitter), and Messi would constantly be the MOTM even in some matches where he had a single assist.  The key was his dribble completion, which was always ridiculously successful, along with his almost perfect pass completion rate… a direct result of having all 99 rated passing statistics, except for 94 CROSSING.  The lack of mistakes this card makes is a breath of fresh air, and he was able to stay consistent even in the terrible gameplay… which his nothing short of a miracle.

Value/Coins & Good vs. Bad 

Value/Coins Rating: 5/5
Good vs Bad Rating: 5/5

There have been a couple of reviews this TOTSSF that have made me question what exactly is value for coins?  Of course, you can look at comparable price range options and just simply answer the question on which card is better.  However, at the same time, there should be a certain expectation when you pay for a card that is 1 million+ coins… and these should vastly increase when you pay 2 million+ coins.  So with that in mind, and looking at Messi’s price tag of 2.5 million coins there should be some lofty expectations.  In this case, I think the facts speak for themselves as Messi contributed 2 goals per game in one of the sweatiest, laggiest, most competitive Weekend Leagues… and he did it despite not playing near 20 matches worth of minutes. 

I gave Messi a 9.5/10 Physical rating because he has the perfect combination of 99 SPRINT SPEED, 97 BALANCE, and 87 STRENGTH that, combined with his smaller stature, turns him into a tiny tank that is just about immoveable off of the ball.  I can only imagine how maddening it was to watch Messi shrug off the likes of Boateng, Militao and Ramos all weekend.  The card is truly the most well-rounded option I have used.  However, I didn’t quite go for perfection on this review and that comes down to two small issues.  While Messi’s 4 STAR WEAK FOOT is just about perfect, and he did score some crazy goals on his right, he is just not the two-footed threat that the likes of FUT Bday Griezmann and Mbappé bring to the table. Finally, I kept track on Twitter and I hit 29 posts/bars this weekend… and Messi contributed the vast majority of these. While it is hard to knock him as he created the bulk of these chances with his pace and dribbling, I have to say I have used players that are more clinical around goal for sure.    

Closing Words

In closing, I wanted to take one second to apologize for my “not Atal” joke last week.  The comments became a bit messy and I will avoid those types of things from this point on.  But back on track, this card checks every box you can think of.  Messi is the closest card to perfect I have reviewed this year and he literally took over games all weekend long.  The 19 matches out of 26 that he was MOTM just speaks to the dominance he displayed over and over.  Perhaps the best compliment I can pay this card, is that it operates just like the legend himself.  Exuding class and dominance, regardless of gameplay.  If you can stretch the budget, or are in the market for a game-changing card… he’s right here.  Cheers for reading.
 

Game Stats:
 

Game Highlights: