If you’ve played eFootball for more than a few months, you know Messi is already one of the most dominant cards in the game. His 99 dribbling, pinpoint passing, and ridiculous long-range shot make him a nightmare for opposing defenses, even at his standard 98 OVR base level. But if you’ve ever seen someone run a 104 OVR Messi online, you know how much more game-changing he can be at that maxed-out level. I’ve tested every possible progression method over the last six months, and successfully got three different Messi variants to 104 OVR without using any exploits or paid hacks. If you’re wondering how to get Messi's overall rating to 104 in eFootball, this breakdown covers every step you actually need to take, no fluff included.
First, Pick the Right Messi Base Card for 104 OVR Progression
The biggest mistake players make before starting this grind is wasting resources on a Messi card that can never hit 104 OVR, no matter how much training you throw at it. Most standard Messi cards have a hard growth cap of 99 OVR, so you’ll hit a wall long before you get close to 104. Only Messi cards with a base OVR of 97 or higher have the growth potential to hit 104, so you’ll need to track down one of these eligible variants first.
Eligible cards include the Team of the Year Messi, World Cup Final POTM Messi, and the Annual Anniversary Legend Messi. All of these come with a hidden +5 growth ceiling that regular featured cards don’t have, so they’re the only options worth investing in. You can get these cards from limited-time event packs, or from the transfer market for between 3 and 8 million coins, depending on which variant you pick. Don’t bother trying to grind this with a standard gold Messi, you’ll just end up disappointed.
How to Optimize Training to Get Messi's Overall Rating to 104 in eFootball
Once you have the right base card, training is the foundation of all your OVR gains. Most players make the mistake of spamming only dribbling drills, because that’s what Messi is best known for. But OVR is calculated based on weighted stats for his position, so you need a balanced regimen to unlock all possible gains. I’ve tested 12 different training routines over the last year, and this is the only one that consistently gets Messi from 97 to 100 OVR in three weeks flat.
- 4x Top-tier dribbling drills (focus on tight control and acceleration, these contribute 22% of his OVR gain at the 99+ level)
- 3x Long-range shooting drills (boosts finishing and shot power, two underrated weighted stats for attacking players that most players skip)
- 2x Playmaking passing drills (improves vision and ground pass accuracy, which counts towards the "creative forward" hidden bonus that adds 1 full OVR at max level)
- 1x Physical conditioning drill (don’t skip this, even if Messi is not a physical player, the stamina boost prevents stat drops during late game, which counts for overall rating calculations)
You need to use gold training items for all of these drills, not bronze or silver. Gold items give 3x the growth per session, so you’ll cut your grind time in half by using them. Never sell your gold training cards if you’re working towards a 104 OVR Messi, they’re far more valuable than the small 5,000 coin payout you’ll get for selling them. You can earn extra gold training tickets from weekly Division Rivals rewards, so aim for at least Division 4 each week to get enough to cover this full regimen.
Use Limited-Time Event Boosts to Push Past the 100 OVR Cap
Once you hit 100 OVR with regular training, you’ll hit a hard cap that no amount of standard drills can get past. That’s where limited-time event boosts come in, which are the only official way to get extra OVR gains above 100. Konami runs themed events every month that give stackable stat boosts that count towards permanent OVR if you complete the associated challenge requirements.
For example, the recent La Liga MVP event gave a permanent +2 OVR boost to all eligible Argentine players if you won 10 online matches with them in the official event lineup. Another event last quarter gave a +1 OVR boost for unlocking 5 of Messi’s signature skills. Event boosts are the only way to get past the 100 OVR hard cap for all players in eFootball, so you’ll need to plan your progression around their release schedules.
So make sure you read event details carefully before grinding. I made this mistake once, spent two weeks grinding a summer friendly event that gave a +3 OVR boost that vanished after 7 days, so I had to start all over again. Only focus on events that explicitly state the boost is permanent, otherwise you’re just wasting your time.
Avoid These Common Mistakes That Kill Messi's OVR Growth
Even if you follow the training regimen and hit all the event challenges, small mistakes can slow down your progress by weeks, or even make it impossible to hit 104. The first and most common mistake is playing Messi in the wrong position. If you slot him at center back or defensive midfield, his stat gains will be weighted against defensive stats he’ll never level up, so you’ll never hit the required thresholds for 104. Always play Messi in his default position (right wing, second striker, or false 9) to ensure all stat gains count towards his overall rating.
Another common mistake is ignoring your team’s playstyle alignment. If your team’s playstyle is set to long ball counter, and Messi’s preferred playstyle is possession game, he gets a permanent -2 OVR penalty that you can’t get rid of until you adjust your team settings. You can check playstyle alignment on the team edit screen, so make sure it matches Messi’s preference before you start grinding matches for event rewards.
Finally, don’t waste skill points on irrelevant skills. You only get 12 skill points for a max level Messi, so every single one counts. Allocate all your skill points to attack-focused skills like one-touch pass, chip shot control, and quick dribble, these add small hidden stat boosts that add up to an extra 1 OVR when all are unlocked. Don’t waste points on defensive skills like sliding tackle or defensive awareness, they don’t contribute anything to his OVR calculation for attacking positions.
All in all, hitting 104 OVR with Messi takes roughly 4 to 6 weeks of consistent grinding, depending on how many event boosts you can unlock. It’s not an overnight process, but the end result is worth it: a 104 OVR Messi can win almost any match single-handedly, even against teams full of maxed-out legend cards. Following these steps will make getting Messi's overall rating to 104 in eFootball far less frustrating than trying random methods you see in short-form clips online. I still use my 104 TOTY Messi as my starting right wing 8 months after I maxed him out, and he still scores more goals than any other card in my squad.