Antonio Rudiger has been handed an update to his long shots in the latest FIFA 22 update, with EA Sports noticing his tendency to shoot from long range in almost every Chelsea game.
Currently regarded as one of the best defenders in world football, Rudiger is known for his aggressive defensive approach for the Blues, dominating the left-hand side of the Chelsea back three for the last 12 months and helping the club win both the Champions League and the Club World Cup.
The German regularly shows his attacking instincts too, with the defender often surging forwards and trying his luck from long distance in almost every game that he plays for the club. The 29-year-old's two most memorable efforts this season saw him denied by a fantastic save against Crystal Palace and when he hit the crossbar against Manchester United, with Rudiger's shooting now infamous with Chelsea fans.
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The latest FIFA 22 squad update has been released, with fellow Premier League clubs Liverpool, Manchester United and others all receiving changes based on their seasons so far. The squad update is available to download now on all platforms including PC, Xbox and PlayStation.
In the latest FIFA 22 update, the Chelsea squad has seen minor adjustments, with some players getting upgrades, some getting slightly downgraded and some having very small attribute changes. Rudiger has only received a few minor changes to his in-game stats, with his curve, shot power and long shots all upgraded along with the defender being given the long shot taker trait.
Players with this trait on FIFA 22 have an increased chance of shooting from distance during a match, so it could see the defender try his luck from outside the box more often in-game. Interestingly, Rudiger has registered 32 shots in the Premier League this season for the Blues, the fourth-highest at the club, and even more than Romelu Lukaku (29).
The 29-year-old has seen his curve increase from 37 out of 99 to 40 out of 99, his long shots have improved from 50 to 55 and his shot power has jumped from 72 to 73. Only minor upgrades, but if Rudiger manages to hit the net with his next attempt, his shooting stats could improve even more.
This isn't the first time Rudiger has been upgraded on FIFA 22 this year, with the defender currently rated 85 out of 99 overall, two ratings higher than he started (83). These upgrades have come on two different occasions, increasing by one overall both times making him the joint fourth-best centre back in the Premier League, only behind Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk (89), Man City duo Ruben Dias (88) and Aymeric Laporte (86).
Rudiger is now level with teammate Thiago Silva (85) and Manchester United's Raphael Varane (85). In the latest update, Reece James was also given a major boost, including his overall rating increasing from 82 to 83.
Other stats that were upgraded were his finishing (63-65), heading (69-70), short passing (81-82), volleys (61-62), dribbling (80-82), long passing (76-77), sprint speed (81-82), agility (72-73), reactions (76-79), balance (85-87), shot power (81-82), jumping (73-74), strength (83-84), interceptions (75-76), positioning (76-77), vision (78-79), marking (79-80), sliding tackle (77-78) and composure (79-80).
Youngsters George McEachran and Lewis Hall both received upgrades, whilst Callum Hudson-Odoi's third-best position was changed from N/A to right wing-back. What do you make of Rudiger's upgrade on FIFA 22? Let us know in the comments!