Cole Palmer fires back at EA Sports over his surprising rating downgrade, addressing injury struggles and dismissing social media rumors ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Brentford.
The start of a new season also marks the latest chapter of the famous video game series, formerly known as FIFA.
One huge talking point surrounding the new release is the updated ratings of every player in the database. With Chelsea finishing a disappointing 10th in the Premier League last time out, the latest ratings reflect the performances of some players who underperformed last season, with some perhaps rated too harshly.
EA Sports determine their player ratings by rating players out of 99, with a higher figure reflecting overall quality.
Club captain Reece James is one of Chelsea’s biggest risers, with his rating up to 84 overall, three points from his previous rating of 81. After an impressive 2025/26 season, Joao Pedro has seen his rating rise by four to 83, up from 79.
The biggest rise came from new signing Marco Palestra, who arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer in a £47 million move from Serie A side Atalanta on July 1. On FC 26, the Italian was rated 61, but just 12 months later, his rating has climbed by 17 to 78 overall.
One player whose rating has dropped over the past year is global superstar Cole Palmer. The 24-year-old had an inconsistent campaign last time out, suffering from a recurring groin injury that also impacted his overall performance and form.
As a result of the England international’s injury setbacks and inconsistency, the EA franchise rated Palmer at 85 overall, a downgrade of two from the previous season. While live streaming a preview of the new video game, Palmer gave his honest reaction to the rating in typical Cole Palmer fashion, saying:
“I need a word with EA anyway. Knocked two ratings off me. I had one leg for ten months, f***ing hell.”
The Chelsea star was later banned by the streaming platform Twitch for breaking the embargo by publicly live streaming content too early. A few hours later, after receiving the all-clear, the Englishman was free to stream again.
Alongside gaming, the former Manchester City star was asked about rumours that surfaced from former Liverpool player and, more recently, former Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness. The former Scottish international claimed publicly that Palmer was once rude to someone in a restaurant during a visit to Dubai.
The England star responded by saying: “That is just a load of nonsense… you know when people talk to stay relevant.”
Palmer will be hoping to continue his fine start to the season as the Blues travel to Brentford on September 18, the same day that Thomas Tuchel will announce his England squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Spain, Czechia and Croatia - a squad that the Englishman will be looking to be a part of.
