Paul Ian Campbell, associate professor in sociology (race and inclusion in sport and in education) at the University of Leicester, and Marcus Maloney, assistant professor in sociology at the Centre for Postdigital Cultures at Coventry University, are the authors of this study.

The FIFA franchise gives each player a rating between 1 and 99 over 29 attributes.

At the time of its study, FIFA20 was the latest installation of the game, with Campbell and Maloney examining the aggregate scores of black and white players who were ranked in the top 100.

They found black players were more likely to be physically gifted in the game compared to white players.

Sprint speed average was 79,15 to 71.24, ability to jump was 78.19 to 71.24, strength was 76.69 to 72.0, balance was 76.69 to 75.45 and aggression was 74.04 to 71.05.

When technical and cognitive skills were assessed, white players were scored higher than black players.

Crossing was 72.29 to 71.35 in their favour, free-kick taking was 67.98 to 64.53, passing was 74.53 to 71.04 and composure was 85.4 to 84.62.

Campbell co-authored another study with Louis Bebb which showed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, across 20 matches, that black players were overwhelmingly praised on their physical talent.

Of the 281 praise comments, 69.8 per cent were about physical talent, 10.7 per cent about being a natural of the game, 10.3 per cent on learned attributes, five per cent on their character and four per cent on their cognitive skills.

Of the 448 comments about white players, 47.9 per cent were learned attributes, followed by 18.3 per cent physical, 13.8 per cent character, 11.4 per cent cognitive and 8.6 per cent natural.

Campbell and Maloney have linked the difference in perceived attributes to pseudoscience, which perceived white people to be more intelligent, while black people were more physically-gifted.

They argue this could warp perceptions of players from a young age, with 34 per cent of Electronic Arts (EA) - the publishers of FIFA games - being under the age of 24, according to a 2019 study conducted by gaming surveyor J Clement.

EA Sports, whose chief executive between 1991 and 2007 was former International Olympic Committee member and United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee chairman Larry Probst, claimed there was no connection of racial bias.

"When accounting for position, there is no correlation between skin tone and skill in our game," read the statement.

"The data presented within this study provides a narrow and incomplete view of overall player ratings. 

"The study does not control for player position, which is crucial when determining a player's final attributes. 

"Furthermore, the study accounted for 88 of approximately 17,000 players found within EA Sports FIFA20. 

"In our most recent game, EA Sports FIFA23, this total is now over 19,000.

"Racism has no place in the world of football, and has no place in any of our games. 

"While we acknowledge that biases continue to exist in sport, it is our duty as a leader in global football to stand against them."

It was announced last May that FIFA's long and fruitful partnership with EA Sports would end in 2023, with the game developer moving forward under EA SPORTS FC branding.

EA Sports has been releasing games under the FIFA banner since 1993 and it is the world's best-selling video game franchise.