Ronaldo surpasses Messi as top-rated player in FIFA 17

Let the debate rage on.

The perennial duel between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, which extends far beyond the pitch to entail everything from endorsements to video game status, took another shift with regards to the latter this year.

EA Sports unveiled the player ratings for the latest installment of its wildly popular FIFA series, FIFA 17, and after playing second fiddle to the Argentine in recent editions, the Portuguese megastar is back atop the mountain.

(Courtesy: EA Sports)

After a year in which he led Real Madrid to the Champions League crown and Portugal to its maiden triumph at the European Championship, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Ronaldo is the game's top-ranked player.

Nor should many of the ratings, in truth, as the likes of Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and the Manchester rivals boast many of the title's best footballers.

The top ten players are as follows:

10. David De Gea, Manchester United: 90
9. Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich: 90
8. Jerome Boateng, Bayern Munich: 90
7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Manchester United: 90
6. Gareth Bale, Real Madrid: 90
5. Manuel Neuer, Bayern Munich: 92
4. Luis Suarez, Barcelona: 92
3. Neymar, Barcelona: 92
2. Lionel Messi, Barcelona: 93
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid: 94

You can find the top-50 list here.

The game is slated for release in the United States on Sept. 27, and becomes available everywhere else two days later.