How to rate players fairly (1–10)

Fair teams start with fair ratings. You don’t need to be a scout: you need a simple scale, used the same way for everyone in your group. Here’s one that works for casual football.

Rate three things, not one

• Attacking: passing, dribbling, shooting and creating chances.
• Defending: tackling, positioning, tracking back and reading the game.
• Fitness: how long they can keep going at a good level, and how quick they are.

Their overall rating is the average of the three. Splitting it this way stops a brilliant but unfit player, or a tireless runner with little skill, from distorting the teams.

A scale for your group

Rate players against the rest of your group, not against professionals. 5 is a typical player in your game.

• 9–10: clearly the best in your group at this. Changes games on their own.
• 7–8: well above average. Someone you’d want on your team.
• 5–6: a solid, typical player in your group.
• 3–4: below average at this. Still contributes, but it isn’t their strength.
• 1–2: new to the game, or this really isn’t their thing.

Most players should land between 3 and 8. If half your group is a 9, the scale has drifted upwards and the scores stop telling players apart.

Examples

• A former midfielder who still plays well but tires halfway through: attacking 8, defending 6, fitness 4 (overall 6.0).
• A keen runner who works hard but rarely scores: attacking 4, defending 6, fitness 8 (overall 6.0).
• A newcomer who hasn’t played since school: attacking 3, defending 3, fitness 5 (overall 3.7).

The first two have the same overall rating but very different strengths, which is exactly what you want to spread between the teams.

Tips for fairer ratings

1. Rate quickly from what you see each week, not reputation or how someone played years ago.
2. If two or three organisers rate privately and you average the scores, personal bias evens out.
3. Review after four to six weeks. If one player’s team keeps winning, nudge their scores up.
4. Keep ratings private to the organisers. They’re a tool for fair games, not a league table.
5. Rate new players at 5 across the board, then adjust after a couple of games.

Put the ratings to work

Playrs uses exactly these three 1–10 scores. Add your players once, and each week it splits whoever’s playing into teams with the closest average ratings, showing each team’s attack, defence and fitness. You can edit scores at any time, and past matchdays keep the ratings from the day. Ratings are only visible to people you share your squad with. See how to pick fair teams for the next step.

Open the free team picker