Like many football supporters who follow their clubs through thick and thin, West Ham United fans are a passionate lot. Supporters of the Hammers have had to endure Premier League relegation, ugly fan protests, unscrupulous owners, and alarming on-the-pitch failures. Thankfully, since the return of David Moyes as manager, some of those issues have fallen into the background as the club looks to progress and finally realise its potential at the London Stadium.
With the evident progress being made on the pitch has come a number of notable improvements off it. One of them, albeit small in comparison to some of the real-life club issues fans have fought in recent times, is that the club is a much better pick for football gamers. With the improved fortunes in the Premier League has come some recognition from EA Sports on the latest FIFA 22 game, which rates some of West Ham’s players much higher than previous versions of the game.
Football fans have always wanted to take down their cocky friends with their beloved team if possible, but it isn’t always a fair option if you’re up against a rival who supports a club full of world-class stars. Sports fans have always turned to a selection of games in general, too, as they allow us to play along with our favourite stars and even win real money through games based on the sports we love, similar to the sports-themed slots at casino.com, which offer football fans games like All Win FC and 11 Champions. Now, on FIFA 22, West Ham’s side is the best it has been in a long, long time. In case you’re aiming to silence your Chelsea-supporting friend or sibling, below is a look at some of the top Hammers stars on the game which can help you achieve your goal. Of course, in Ultimate Team, Hammers stars can receive various upgrades to their base numbers, but the original cards are interesting to see nonetheless.
Tomáš Souček – 82
It comes as no surprise given his all-round excellent form since joining the club, but Tomáš Souček is one of the top West Ham players in the game, coming in at 82, up one from his old card on the game. The Czech midfielder offers strong defensive midfield capabilities, as you might expect, and is a real handful from set-pieces.
Declan Rice – 82
Declan Rice has become one of the most sought-after midfielders in football today, shining for England in the Euros and putting in some fantastic performances under Moyes in particular. It, therefore, comes as no surprise to see his card make a big jump in the 2022 version of the game from 79 to 82 in what makes him one of the must-have Irons players. With Rice and the aforementioned Tomáš Souček anchoring the midfield, West Ham are as strong in the game as they are in real life.
Łukasz Fabiański – 82
Yet another player who has received a new and improved rating, Polish goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański has gone from 81 to 82 in the new game, the same rating as his fellow shot-stopper, Alphonse Areola. Like Moyes, Hammers fans have two solid goalkeepers to choose from.
Kurt Zouma – 81
After an impressive start to life at West Ham United following his arrival from rivals Chelsea, Kurt Zouma’s 81 card on FIFA 22 has dramatically improved the defence’s overall rating and gives players a much-needed beast at the back. Zouma is relatively quick, strong, and wins a lot of headers.
Other top rated players include Coufal (80), Ogbonna (80), Vlasic (80), Cresswell (79), Fornals (79), and Antonio (79).