Nigeria and Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface has expressed his dissatisfaction with his latest ratings on the EA Sports’ FC 24 video game. The 23-year-old has an overall rating of 93 in the video game but wasn’t content with how his individual strengths in other areas were rated.
Boniface has been one of the best strikers in Europe this season, having taken the Bundesliga by storm after joining Leverkusen from Belgian side Union SG last July. Despite playing in his debut season in the German top-flight, the striker has looked unfazed by the challenge while scoring goals for fun.
The Nigerian has also been named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season after helping Xabi Alonso’s side to dethrone Bayern Munich as champions of Germany. Boniface is one of six Leverkusen players who made the Team of the Season, with Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah, Alejandro Grimaldo, Granit Xhaka and Florian Wirtz also included.
The former Bodo/Glimt striker missed three months of the campaign after suffering an injury in January, but still boasts a decent return in front of goal, having contributed 12 goals and nine assists in the Bundesliga this season. Overall, he also has 19 goals and 10 assists in all competitions for the club.
Boniface rates dribbling as the most definitive part of his game
Having been named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season for his impressive displays this term, EA Sports decided to upgrade Boniface’s and all the other nominated players’ ratings on its FC 24 video game.
While the Nigeria international’s overall rating went up to 93, he was unimpressed with the rating of his other individual strengths. Boniface’s physicality was rated the highest after being pegged at 96, followed by his shooting at 94.
He was also given a 93 rating for pace, while his passing was rated at 87. Boniface’s defence was rated as his lowest attribute, having copped a rating of 60. Although the Nigeria international’s dribbling was pegged at 91, he believes he deserved a far higher rating for that particular attribute.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Leverkusen sniper disputed EA Sports’ rating of his dribbling ability, insisting he could accept anything for his other attributes but deserves not less than a 96 rating for dribbling on the video game, as he considers dribbling the most integral part of his game.
“If una like make the rest be 40 he no concern me but you see that dribble make he reach 96,” Boniface wrote in the Nigerian Pidgin English on his page, which translates as: “You can make the rest [of my attributes] 40 and I won’t be concerned but my dribbling particularly must reach 96.”
How Victor Boniface’s dribbling stats compare to other Bundesliga stars
Meanwhile, Boniface’s current rating on EA Sports’ FC 24 video game might not be the worst but the striker is perhaps justified in demanding more if his dribbling statistics in the Bundesliga are anything to go by.
The Nigerian has the most dribbles of forwards in the Bundesliga who have played at least 15 full 90 minutes, as per FBref. He is also ranked overall as the player with the fifth most dribbles in the German top-flight this season – only Mainz 05’s Brajan Gruda, Bayern Munich duo Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane, and his Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz have attempted more dribbles than Boniface.
Having already wrapped up the league title, Boniface and Leverkusen are now targeting the treble, with the German Cup and the UEFA Europa League in sight.
Alonso and his side are already in the final of the German Cup, where they’ll face FC Kaiserslautern on May 25, and they also have one foot in the final of the Europa League after beating AS Roma 2-0 in the semi-final first leg ahead of reverse fixture on Thursday.
Boniface and Leverkusen are also currently unbeaten in 48 matches, equalling the record for the longest unbeaten run across all top-level matches which was set by Benfica 59 years ago, and they could go one further if they avoid defeat against Roma in their next match.
