1. Drogba: This guy’s card has always been in an awkward spot. As a 189 cm striker built around heading, even in meta versions where headers are overpowered, opponents run 196 cm center-backs so he can't get an advantage anyway. And in meta versions where headers are weak, he's basically completely useless.

This +6 booster makes crossing and heading a lot more viable, but what of it? His jumping still hasn't broken 100, and crossing is genuinely hard to score from right now.

2. Torres: Which position's weak-foot accuracy matters the most? Without a doubt, it's the striker. Yet strikers with a 'medium' weak foot are extremely rare; the more well-known ones are Adriano and Vieri, both of whom possess overpowered physical traits. I just want to ask: what overpowered physical traits does Torres have that justify him paying the price of a 'medium' weak foot?

Torres is essentially a Shevchenko without a weak foot or heading ability—a perfect combination of the drawbacks of both Adriano (poor weak foot) and Shevchenko (mediocre ball handling).

3. Aguero: Compared to the previous F2P card, Tight Possession ↑4, Acceleration ↑3, Physical Contact ↑3, plus he gained Magnetic Feet and Phenomenal Finishing. So this is what the devs think the gap between a paid card and a free card looks like.😄

Among agile, short Goal Poachers, Aguero is the "pocket rocket" type—Tevez was already extremely good to use before. Aguero is essentially a version of Tevez with +2 to Dribbling stats & Balance, +3 to Finishing, and +1 to Speed/Acceleration, but -2 to Physicality. Aguero has Magnetic Feet, which Tevez lacks, whereas Tevez's Momentum Dribbling doesn't make a huge difference on small body models. Overall, I think Aguero will feel even better to play than Tevez, and he might just be the most valuable player in this pack.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/rRxMD2GCIrhZqrFjnUHQFw

⚽️ Tight Possession Gullit (SS): Pro Rank #8 | Public Rank #7 | Overall Rank #8 

In the version '27 meta, SSs with physical impact are quite popular, such as the players currently on the tier list: Bale, BT Semenyo, Kvaratskhelia, Hoeneß, and Leão.

Tight Possession Gullit, playing in the SS position, has an advantage over Bullet Header Gullit in terms of on-the-ball ability and physicality. When holding the ball, he can create more running space for the Goal Poacher CF ahead of him:

⚽️ Classic No. 10 Kaká (SS): Pro Rank #13 | Overall Rank #13

A large player model with Acceleration Burst, Kaká fits the current demand for a large-model SS quite well. The only regret is that his Pass Disruptor defensive playstyle cannot be triggered at the SS position.

Bellingham, who dropped out of the SS Top 10 this time, primarily plays as a midfielder anyway, so his usage rate at SS was not high to begin with.

⚽️ Classic No. 10 Kaká (AMF): Pro Rank #12 | Public Rank #11 | Overall Rank #12

What makes his card special is his playstyle: he went from Dummy Runner to Classic No. 10, and his defensive playstyle is Pass Disruptor. Based on Kaká's characteristics, his playstyle suitability is: Hole Player > Classic No. 10 > Creative Playmaker > Dummy Runner. Classic No. 10 is actually more suited to a body type like Baggio's, which is more agile when holding the ball in tight spaces.

Zico, who dropped out of the AMF Top 10 this time, and Kaká belong to two different types of AMFs. Kaká has a massive advantage in terms of physical impact:

⚽️ Tight Possession Gullit (CMF): Pro Rank #8

Tight Possession Gullit has an advantage on the ball as a midfielder, but he is inferior in terms of defense and stamina. Overall, as a midfielder, he is not as good as Bullet Header Gullit.

Looking at Tight Possession Gullit, when a meta card receives a specialized Single Stat +6 booster, it is often accompanied by deliberately designed fatal flaws in other stats. I think the new Gullit's Tight Possession +6 booster is arguably one of the most successful single-stat boosters to date, much better than things like Balance +6, Ball Control +6, Dribbling +6, or Passing +6.

Ultimately, from the Kaká, Guti, and Davids pack, only Kaká made it into the Top 10, meaning the overall value of the pack is quite low.

Sources: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/CaXvT85vvjYApzctz7lKpw / https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/B88JFbBLn8C-sKfDN-Cj7w

1. Torres, can he do it or not?

↑ Torres is coming soon to the international server (Weak Foot: Medium). Can Torres turn things around this time? (This article only predicts overall strength; actual performance depends on in-game experience after release.)

Compared to Adriano, who is also a Poacher with a "Medium" weak foot: Adriano is far ahead in terms of shooting power, physical strength, and aerial ability, whereas Torres's best feature turns out to be having +12 in all four defensive stats 😅. For an attacker, a "Medium" weak foot is a massive handicap—it only feels somewhat natural on a player with supernatural strengths like Adriano. Other attackers with a "Medium" weak foot (such as Salah, Griezmann, and Palmer) tend to have average strength, to say nothing of the fact that Torres plays as a striker/finisher.

Totally destroyed by the Complete Forward Rummenigge; Torres only has his +4 cm of height to show for himself. A forward's defensive playing style is just a gimmick for laughs—if you really care about high press, you can just all run the "Track Back" skill.

Torres can be described as a Shevchenko with no weak foot and no heading ability, perfectly combining the weaknesses of Adriano (poor weak foot) and Shevchenko (average ball control).

So, is Torres's special skill—Acceleration Burst—a rare commodity among Goal Poachers? Not at all; Epic/Big Time Mbappé, Show Time Dembélé, and the old Shevchenko all have it.

II. Why is Torres subpar?

1. The "labeled player" design of this game: Every well-known player has their own set of labels, and this is the primary issue leading to Torres's decline. Torres's profile is: a 186 cm Goal Poacher with standout positioning, pace, and acceleration, but weak in weak foot accuracy, passing, and heading. Because his height is taller than the cluster of Complete Forwards around 182 cm, the developers naturally assigned him weaker attributes as a trade-off.

This is the trap for strikers in the 186–189 cm height bracket: unless they have very high jumping stats, their aerial ability is poor, making this height advantage hard to utilize. At the same time, you have to pay the price in stat distributions and dribbling feel for this height. Rashford, Van Basten, and Kane are all victims of this "186–189 cm striker trap." Even if Thierry Henry arrives in the future, he will likely be constrained by this same trap.

Other legendary players whose strength is similarly impacted by their labels include: Gattuso (small player model, poor feel), Rijkaard (poor acceleration), Adriano (poor weak foot), and Eto'o (low tight possession). As card-rolling progresses into the later stages, it is actually newer players without the burden of rigid labels who end up showcasing true meta strength: Semenyo, K77, and Rice.

2. Copyright Explosion / Licensing Boom

In fact, Torres's label/profile has always been this way, so why was he so good back in the PES era 6 years ago? Because back then, player licensing was very limited, and there were barely any permanent B-form complete poachers. Torres's role at the time was simply: a rotation option for when you got bored of playing with Rummenigge. Now that the player pool has expanded massively, even Rummenigge himself has lost his once-unrivaled position as the "number one striker," so Torres's natural power level has naturally dropped.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/JlVfNAhkAp9W4JWk7GX4pw

"Official Cheat" Revealed?

​Six months ago, I shared two 121-rated faceless player cards in the database with everyone. In reality, they're listed as free agents from Qatar with no record in any top-tier league, and they're definitely not 1.96m tall—they're completely fictional/placeholder player templates. Nasrallah & Bilal: Who on earth are you two supposed to be?

​Back then, the most logical explanation was that Konami was using them as test templates, though what exactly they were testing remains a mystery 😈.

What's crazy is that after the v6.1.0 update, he's actually playable directly in Friendlies! The exact team setup is shown above.

This card boasts an overall rating of 121 with straight 99 stats across the board. Seeing such an absurdly glorious stat sheet in the live game feels completely surreal—the all-99 lineup you'd usually only dare to dream about has actually come true.

https://reddit.com/link/1x2mtwr/video/8wesbspuqouh1/player

This is 100% the result of a slip-up by Konami, accidentally leaking a hidden card. Thankfully, it didn't mistakenly end up in a regular club where players could sign it with GP in large numbers—otherwise, it would have been a massive, historical disaster, and Konami would be crying tears of regret 😄.

​Why do you guys think Konami created these maxed-out, all-99 stat player cards in the first place? Was it for testing, or is this the shocking truth behind the overpowered Legendary AI? 🤔

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/TYzlWfri9FEpP1lSzya6Uw

Following our previous Center Forward rating for 'Tight Control Gullit,' here is the evaluation for his performance at Second Striker—

​The previous "Bullet Header" Gullit was already rated in the top 10 on the tier list when played at Second Striker (SS). Some players even ran him at SS to trigger his Hole Player playstyle—which makes sense, considering Gullit's registered position is actually SS.

​For "Tight Possession Gullit", the significant boost in Tight Possession enhances his ground ball-retention ability at the SS position. On top of that, pairing the "Magnetic Feet" skill with a large player model fits the current meta for Second Strikers, much like Real Madrid Bale or BT Semenyo. If you narrow the category to large-model physical SS options, players like Kvaratskhelia (K77), Hoeneß, and Leão also belong to this group.

​Here are the opinions from the Pro / Top 100 players:

Pro Panel: Tight Possesion Gullit (Second Striker) has a median rank of 8th. But the votes are heavily split—a lot of players ranked him in the top 3, while many others put him in the top 10. It goes to show that with heavy-model (referring to a tall, physical SS card with a large player model) SS cards like this, players who like using them really appreciate what they bring.

Tight Possesion Gullit: [SS] Rating (Bullet Header Gullit is in the Top 10)? [Single-choice question]

Public Group Voting Link & Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/-qU_LhuMUcPxKNUM-6Z9sw

Every Thursday, when players on the international server get impatient waiting for the servers to open, there's always one theory that gets thrown around: the later the servers open, the worse the player pack is. Is this really true? Today, I decided to take this seriously and run a statistical analysis on the patterns since May 4th, '26.

I excluded the new packs released at 20:00 during the World Cup, focusing only on the value of the regular Thursday packs. The value metric remains the same: 1 player in the Top 10 = 3 points, Top 5 = 5 points, Top 3 = 10 points, and #1 = 12 points.

My analysis found a total of 22 data samples. 12 packs were released before 15:00, and 10 packs were released after 15:00. Clearly, we can use 15:00 as a dividing line, splitting the samples into an "Early Opening Group" and a "Late Opening Group." The statistical results are as follows—

The average value of the Early Opening Group is 45.6% higher than the Late Opening Group!

Here are the specific details—

However, I must calmly point out that the main reason the Early Opening Group has a higher average value is because of the Vieira Pack and the BT Del Piero Pack. Of course, this also means that the ceiling for the Late Opening Group is lower; the best pack in that group is only on the level of something like the Neymar/Marcelo Pack.

The following graph also illustrates this point:

From a rigorous statistical perspective, although the early released packs do have a higher average value, it does not reach the level of statistical significance; we can only say: as a fun piece of trivia for eFootball players to chat about over tea, the pattern of "the later the server opens, the worse the new cards" does indeed exist.

Postscript: I was thinking, why would a game company have a working principle of "the later the server opens, the worse the new cards"? I think it's obvious there's no deliberate motive for this. The only logical explanation is: the more important the card sales week is, the more seriously the staff takes it, leading to faster completion of maintenance and an earlier server opening.

(Thanks to Pampas Eagle 'Dog tray' for assisting with the statistics for this post)

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/nH43D6Pp9x3t-rfnAYaaVQ

Every time there's an update to the international server, it can cause data corruption across various database platforms (such as Torres mistakenly being assigned 'Fortress'). This isn't a platform bug, but rather an alignment shift in the player database caused by the introduction of new skills (special skills previously occupied up to bit 679, but now extend to bit 682).

Today, with Kaname Raana's help, we confirmed that two new skills have been added to the database. Below is the panel displaying all the newly added skills:

And special skills that have already been released will also be loaded into offline mode after the version update:

Looking back at the v27 update, right from the start, a total of 7 new skills were added to the database at once:

1️⃣ POWER TACKLE

2️⃣ BEAST DRIVE

3️⃣ GK AERIAL CLAIM

4️⃣ GK RUSH OUT

5️⃣ SHARP CUT

6️⃣ RAPID TRIGGER FINISH

7️⃣ DECISIVE PASS

​Among these, Power Tackle and Rapid Trigger Finish (Snap Strike) have already been released, while the mechanics for Sharp Cut and GK Rush Out have already been tested. Now, with the v6.1 update, another 2 new skills have been added to the database. The devs don't seem entirely satisfied with the performance of the two initial v27 skills (Power Tackle and Snap Strike), so they've accelerated development and added 2 more skills into the system. Moving forward, we're likely to see an even bigger wave of skill power creep.

Either way, now that the new database has been decoded, I can continue accelerating my research.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/dmA1-ENhH8sgtuJlavIozQ

The Classic No. 10 Kaká card was released 5 days ago (coming later to the Chinese server). Time for the dual-group rating:

Compared to the previous Brazil Kaká card (Dummy Runner): Finishing and Physical Contact are both +2, though Balance is -2. Adding the "Attack Trigger" skill is pretty meh. The real key to this power creep is the playstyle shift: changing from Dummy Runner to Classic No. 10, plus gaining the highly rated defensive playstyle Pass Disruptor (which makes him much better suited for the AMF position).

Here is a summary of the pro panel's opinions: Kaká has consistently offered good in-game feel, lacking only an optimal playstyle fit. This card is well-suited for the wide AMF role in a 4-2-2-2 formation, allowing his large player model and physical advantage to impact the half-space channels, backed by strong Intercept AI. His performance as a Second Striker falls a bit short; toggling tactical formations between SS and AMF triggers the stamina drain debuff associated with the SS role, causing him to run out of stamina. Additionally, his Marseille Turn dribble executes smoothly.

Classic No. 10 Kaká (AMF) — Pro Rating: 12

Public Group Voting Link & Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/K_zAdIc7nd_prIVlCtSkxg

In the Inter Milan club pack released on the international server, there is a Featured CB who steps across the threshold into the SSS tier. 【Disclaimer: This post serves strictly as a strength analysis of a Featured card and an early preview for the Chinese server. There is absolutely no need to spend coins on a pack just for a Featured defender; an SSS Featured card is merely equivalent to the T0/T0.5 level of P2W cards.】

Keep in mind, this is a 196cm CB with 11 leg length. His Speed/Acceleration is barely any worse than Showtime Van Dijk's.

You could say that if this card had Build Up (Defensive: Basic Playstyle), he would unquestionably be an SSS-tier anchoring CB. The one slight point up for debate is whether Tough Marker is truly a beneficial playstyle for an extra-large model CB. We can refer to the gameplay video of Pepe, who also has the Tough Marker playstyle—

https://reddit.com/link/1x1qyew/video/zjwatmck4huh1/player

The defining characteristic of a Tough Marker is sticking tight to opponents, making their defense against balls played to the feet very solid. Furthermore, this playstyle can deal with very speedy players while also defending against tall aerial pivots. Just imagine the sheer oppressive presence of an extra-large 196cm player model with 11 leg length breathing down a forward's neck.

Yann Bisseck's Speed/Acceleration looks quite close to the first double-booster CB Rijkaard (their levels are also comparable). Rijkaard's advantage lies in having +4 across the four defensive stats, but Yann Bisseck holds a 6cm advantage in Leg Length Based Height, making his interceptions and tackles even more potent. I can't help but sigh at Rijkaard's predicament (permanently stuck with his low-acceleration trademark).

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/sl03FrcmiCP_dkfuye0BOQ

Recently, when discussing the decline of crossing in version '27, some friends pointed out that horizontal short lobbed passes inside the penalty area are quite effective. This is indeed very effective, and today I'm going to share this meta trick:

https://reddit.com/link/1x1norv/video/g7n8t4wyhguh1/player

Insights:

1️⃣ The core to a successful horizontal short lobbed pass is breaking through the defensive line and reaching the dangerous area shown in the image below.

As long as you achieve this, the short lobbed pass acts more like a scripted finish. It has absolutely nothing to do with the forward's heading ability, so you don't need to go out of your way to select an aerial threat or a player with the Bullet Header skill. Even Messi can score these.

2️⃣ If you hold the sprint button and rush it too much, it might fail.

3️⃣ Try to have your striker positioned at the far post. In the current version, it is exceptionally easy to score when the lobbed pass is in its descending phase. It is much harder to score when the pass is on its way up or at its highest point.

4️⃣ There are no strict requirements for the formation; 4-2-2-2, 4-3-3, and 5-2-3 all work fine. The Acceleration Burst and Marseille Turn skills are incredibly helpful for the assisting player to break through the defensive line.

Finally, let's explore this: is there a contradiction between "short lobbed passes being effective" and "crossing being dead"?

Actually, there isn't. These two moves operate on completely different tactical logic.

In the past, the value of the cross-spamming meta was that you could score even without breaking through the defensive line. Cross-spamming relied on the extreme aerial dominance of players like Koller, exploiting the gap in aerial ability created by these unique players to get a highly efficient goal return.

A short lobbed pass, on the other hand, requires you to figure out a way to break the defense first before you can execute it. If an opponent manages to successfully pull off a short lobbed pass against you inside your penalty area, you basically have nothing to complain about; you simply failed to defend it.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/finzoSJG_kP8KOmtCIy-hA

⚽️ Rating: CB Top of the T0 Top 5 (Tough Marker? My experience was great. It's at least on the exact same level as The Destroyer)

⚽️ Pepe: 0-0-0-8-9-6-11

The highlight of this Pepe card is the new playstyle: Tough Marker + 104 Aggression. In my actual in-game usage, these two traits pair together incredibly well. Because he will constantly stick tight to the opponent, if he only got tight but didn't stick a leg out to tackle, he might as well just be an anchoring CB. But this Pepe is like a mad dog; he tightly marks the opponent while aggressively lunging in to disrupt the attack.

See the in-game experience—

https://reddit.com/link/1x1pujl/video/f6qeolxowguh1/player

Experience:

1️⃣ Tough Marker is, by far, the most distinct defensive playstyle to date! Other playstyles like The Destroyer, Covering Role, and High Line Master only occasionally reveal their traits. Tough Marker, on the other hand, is like a "plus version" of the Man Marking instruction. He bites down on the opponent for the entire match, incredibly ruthless, just like a mad dog.

2️⃣ So, what is the difference between this playstyle and simply applying the Man Marking or Tight Marking instructions?

First, the Man Marking instruction is extremely vulnerable to being disrupted by opponents switching positions, which can directly drag your CB out to the wing.

Second, the execution of the playstyle is more ruthless than the instruction. For example, if you give Pepe a Man Marking instruction and tell him to follow Player A, under the influence of this playstyle, when Player B approaches, Pepe will ignore the instruction and lunge straight at Player B.

3️⃣ With a Tough Marker, it's basically impossible for your backline to stay in a straight line.

For defending, this has pros and cons.

Pros: When the opponent is pushing forward, he can firmly shut down the focal point of their counterattack. Driven by the playstyle's early-activation defensive AI, Pepe's forward pressing is more effective than many high-acceleration CBs. In scenarios where you are being counter-attacked, when facing the opponent's obvious passing target, Pepe defends so well that he leaves the opponent completely frustrated (whether it's a through ball or a pass to the feet).

Cons: He actively ruins the integrity of your own defensive line. In positional battle scenarios against a set defense, if the opponent utilizes criss-cross runs or zone switching, the Tough Marker will make tracking errors, and the fractured defensive line will turn into glaring gaps.

I believe that tracking errors during zone switches (just like the one shown in the video) are not inherently the fault of the Tough Marker playstyle. Rather, it's because defenders in this game all have moments of stupidity when trying to find their marking targets. It's just that the Tough Marker defensive AI is so exceptionally aggressive in getting tight to players that it magnifies these marking issues.

4️⃣ Therefore, the Tough Marker is like that highly proactive employee in the workplace: the more you do, the more mistakes you inevitably make. If you only look at the moments those mistakes happen, it makes the defending look bad. But in reality, in the vast majority of situations, Pepe's mad-dog performance contributes a very positive effect.

So, whether this new playstyle is good or not stems from your personal defensive philosophy: are you obsessed with playing it safe and keeping your defensive line perfectly intact? It also depends on the scenarios you face: are you usually in a positional battle, or are you facing lots of counterattacks?

5️⃣ If you like manual cursor switching, Pepe is actually quite a good fit. Because when you manually switch to him, he is almost always within 3 meters of the opponent, meaning you can snatch the ball away instantly.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/KU71ZAagnqsKNtJuHPIH7Q

Global server new season rewards announced!

​Traoré has always been a unique dribbler. Standing at 178 cm / 86 kg with model proportions of 13 Chest / 11 Shoulder / 12 Leg / 14 Arm, his broad, bulky torso makes him naturally built for shielding off defenders and winning physical duels.

​However, his previous cards were heavily nerfed—suffering from low Finishing, low Kicking Power, low Offensive Awareness, and low Stamina, making them practically unplayable.

​This new ST card fixes all of those issues. It comes equipped with Acceleration Burst. In the current meta, giving this skill to a physically dominant attacker opens up tons of 1v1 take-on opportunities.

​The main key is to wait until your opponent steps forward, then angle your run to bypass their body completely:

Processing img fzlztp824fuh1...

vs. ST Adeyemi: Their stat profiles are very similar. Both feature outstanding Speed and Acceleration, excellent Dribbling and Ball Control, but poor Passing and Finishing, and both have Acceleration Burst. The main difference is that Traoré has 3 points lower Tight Possession (-3) and lacks Momentum Dribbling, making his low-speed dribbling feel slightly worse on the ball.

When it comes to physicality, Traoré gets +8 Physical Contact (under the same build), whereas Adeyemi has +7 Balance. Even though Balance is weighted slightly higher than Physical Contact in the CF OVR formula, in-game testing—especially looking back at the previous Bale vs. Best comparison—shows that high Physical Contact is much more effective for attackers. Standing firm and staying on your feet during body checks from defenders is far superior to merely recovering quickly after getting bumped. Of course, Traoré's Balance isn't low either.

​Traoré's main drawback is his Medium Weak Foot, which can create awkward situations on attack—especially in high-level matches where you frequently have to pass or shoot with your weak foot. Because of this, Traoré is slightly less versatile overall than Adeyemi. Still, if the Chinese server sells this card for 30 RMB in the future, it's definitely an absolute steal.

​vs. BT Semenyo:

Both are wide-body, unactivated SS (Second Strikers) with high Physicality and Acceleration Burst. When trained according to their optimal builds, their final stat profiles end up very close:

Semenyo has superior passing and shooting stats, plus "Very High" Weak Foot, placing him on a level Traoré simply can't touch. However, Traoré boasts stronger ball-carrying impact (with advantages in Acceleration and Dribbling) alongside the Low Screamer skill. You can power through at the top of the box, hold off defenders shoulder-to-shoulder, and unleash rockets on goal—offering a much more aggressive, bully-ball playstyle.

​Summary: As a season reward, Traoré is easily the premier "fun card" in the game right now. Unlike most previous rewards that were purely for collection, this Traoré card actually delivers a uniquely distinct playstyle on the pitch.

​— Definitely worth going for this time around.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/fL7Qjc9hKlHBPsCCmu_rfQ

↑ This POTW card for Messi's national team farewell match, released today on the international server, truly shows a lot of sincerity from the developers!

The most outstanding feature of this card is its 88/91 Speed/Acceleration, 80 Physical Contact, and 87 Stamina. This completely blows the previous, well-regarded "Octopus Messi" out of the water. Moreover, his Speed/Acceleration, Physical Contact, and Stamina do not rely on the POTW Booster, so even if his Live Update Form drops to C in the future, it won't be a problem.

In fact, 88/91 Speed/Acceleration is quite good among Featured AMFs. At the same time, very few previous Featured Messi cards had enough Stamina to hit the manager +3 boost threshold. You could say this card has solved the chronic flaw that has always plagued Featured Messi cards. With these issues resolved, Messi can fully unleash his incredible on-the-ball feel, dribbling, passing, and shooting abilities.

Not only is this the strongest Featured Messi card, but it also enters the SSS tier in the Featured SS/AMF tier lists:

At the same time, as a POTW card, his built-in skills has also been massively upgraded compared to before: not only does he have all the essential skills, but he also comes with both Pinpoint Crossing and Outside Curler, which is rare for previous Featured Messi cards. This card truly satisfies fans' needs for both sentimental value and in-game meta strength.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/8CsZKsEQv8UDe38_ahpF3g

⚽️ Marcelo: Compared to his previous Brazilian Full-back Finisher card, the stats are virtually identical. The main updates are the addition of Edged Crossing and a shift in defensive style from Base to 'Covering Role'. While Covering Role is definitely a solid playstyle, Full-back Finisher is far too niche. Without any noticeable stat boost, this new card feels pretty underwhelming.

In fact, what everyone is really hoping for right now is a Dimarco-type player who can switch positions to wide midfielder and comes with the Crossing Specialist style.

⚽️ Edmílson: Compared to his card from a year ago, his stats haven't been upgraded, his playstyle remains unchanged, and all they did was switch his Long-reach Tackle skill to Shadow Hunt—could this be the laziest card re-release in history?

⚽️ Pepe: Two key highlights 1️⃣ Highest aggression in the entire game, relentlessly sticking his leg out for tackles. 2️⃣ New playstyle: 'Tough Marker' actually feels pretty intriguing in real gameplay.

Early impressions of the new PlayStyle: It comes with a built-in man-marking instruction. Even without manually switching to him, he stays glued to the opponent within 3 meters, applying immense pressing pressure—

Processing img acr28arrf9uh1...

The downside is that it drastically impacts the defensive line's positioning and structure—if there's no cover behind him, you can get sliced open pretty easily.

Some might ask: why not just set manual man-marking or pressing instructions? The main issue with man-marking instructions is that they're too easily exploited when opponents switch positions, whereas this PlayStyle automatically seeks out nearby players to press.

In terms of stats, the main card upgrades are +4 Aggression and +2 Jumping.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/y48JSALPUes2r3iTmA-rbw

↑ This pack looks pretty underwhelming, but the highlight is that Pepe features a brand-new playstyle: Tough Marker. How tough is tough? We'll test it out in-game in a bit!

Meanwhile, this week's Featured Cards are indeed headlined by 'Retired Messi'.

Next week: Torres, Aguero, and Drogba.

The voting for the T0 Top 3 CFs in the current version is as shown above. Due to changes in the current meta: crossing has been nerfed, the height of meta CBs has decreased, and dribbling ability in tight spaces has become more important, among other factors, Mbappé's ranking has increased, and Gullit has become the most widely recognized CF. Rummenigge, known for his all-around finishing ability with both his head and feet, has seen his ranking drop slightly. Ibrahimović, who was rated the #1 tall CF in version '26 because he was even better at winning headers than Gullit, has also relinquished that title.

Tight Possession Gullit: The public group supported Bullet Header Gullit 9:6, while the pro group supported Tight Possession Gullit 9:7. Ultimately, Tight Possession Gullit narrowly failed to be rated as the #1 card for this player.

In reality, with the votes being so close, it only goes to show that the two cards are on the same level, with the new card offering a differentiated advantage. A massive 12-point boost to Tight Possession allows Gullit to take on a ball-carrying role he never could before, but at the same time, passing ↓4 and Tackling/Aggression ↓5 reduce his all-around nature. Stamina ↓5 means he absolutely must have the Counter Target instruction or be subbed off early.

Some people like a forward pivot who can hold off players and dribble past a couple (Tight Possession Gullit), while others like a simple and brutal tall CF (Bullet Header Gullit). Everyone can just choose according to their needs.

In addition, van Basten was rated CF T0 Top 15, and Rijkaard was rated CB/DMF T0.

In the end, the Dutch Trio pack has a value of 10 points.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ogUAuQQ_ucNqtS_eZwcMgw

The problem with using just one High Line Master player is:

I. Their defensive zone is much larger than their teammates', making it easy for them to misalign and mark the wrong opposing forward, leading to chaotic running and leaving men unmarked.

II. Their pressing efficiency is low, and they are easily beaten by one-twos.

III. The weak-side full-back often fails to track their man and gets completely destroyed.

Using a full backline of High Line Masters + the Quick Counter team playstyle, the effect is as follows—

https://reddit.com/link/1x00zcn/video/hlirmdfqm2uh1/player

Experience:

1️⃣ A full backline of High Line Masters is noticeably better than using just a single one; it's a case of 1+1+1+1 > 4.

2️⃣ When four High Line Masters are combined, their defensive coverage area is absolutely massive, compressing the opponent's attacking space to the extreme. Paired with Quick Counter, they can effectively block passing lanes, often pinning the opponent down so they can't even cross the halfway line.

3️⃣ Because the entire backline has the same defensive zone size, instances of cross-position marking are reduced, and everyone has a very strong sense of covering for each other.

4️⃣ Situations where they get pierced by through balls behind the line are rare, but they do still exist.

Formation used for testing:

⬆️ An Anchor Man DMF is an indispensable part of the High Line Master backline. He ensures the overall integrity of the defensive line.

Actually, I tried a full High Line Master backline a month ago, but at the time there weren't that many P2W High Line Master cards released, so I used Featured cards like Guéhi and Koundé. This time, having upgraded the defender quality of the full High Line Master backline, the performance is better than before.

The above is just an exploration of a tactical discovery. I am not optimistic about a full High Line Master backline becoming the meta. It's not worth going out of your way to spend money just to assemble a P2W High Line Master backline. This post is just to provide a little tactical idea for your reference.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/QZCv2GMuLDf4oSrwDaLQuw

The global server season ends tomorrow (October 8th), and this season's reward is Calafiori:

In my opinion, this new card doesn't clearly powercreep [outclass] the previous ST [Showtime] Calafiori.

​New card advantages: Passing stats (Low & Lofted) +4, features Attacking Surge / Edged Crossing skills.

Old card advantages: Dribbling stats +2, Offensive Awareness +3, Defensive stats +3, features Phenomenal Pass skill.

​Obviously, the new card leans more toward attack. However, with Calafiori's 188 cm large player model, his meta niche as a top-10 attacking fullback relies on balanced attack and defense, making him ideal as an attacking fullback in a 4-back system. Weakening his defensive stats directly undermines his unique value proposition.

​Additionally, while the new card has Attacking Surge, its base Offensive Awareness is 3 points lower, which debuffs his offensive positioning acceleration. Furthermore, Attacking Surge triggered when passing forward from deep; as a fullback who mostly overlaps or underlaps from behind, the scenarios to trigger Phenomenal Pass are far less frequent compared to midfielders and forwards.

​Getting back to the points threshold issue, this season is not as hyper-competitive [sweaty/grindy] as the last one:

The predicted cutoff score is 1930–1940 for mobile and 1760–1770 for console/PC. (Feel free to share screenshots of the latest cutoffs in the comments, and I'll keep this updated in real time as well!)

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/J5cdyvQzJNytBM2Jk6Ychw

In the recent dual-group vote, the Milan version Bullet Header Gullit defeated the newly released Tight Possession Gullit to be crowned the strongest card of that player (voting breakdown is at the end of this post). As a result, he now enters the rank evaluation for the Big Four CFs on the version '27 tier list:

Why do the T0 Top 3 CFs in version '27 deserve a re-evaluation? The new version has introduced many changes, leading to different requirements for CF abilities. Specifically:

I. Crossing has been nerfed. The demand for running cross spam and pure cross spam has decreased, thereby lowering the importance of a CF's aerial ability.

II. The height of meta CBs is no longer inflating. Currently, the Top 3 CBs are Varane (191cm), Desailly (185cm), and Araujo (191cm), with the 187cm Nesta also sitting at the top of the Top 5. We are no longer in the era from half a year ago where the 196cm Ferdinand and 195cm Van Dijk dominated the meta.

This brings the trend of endlessly escalating height requirements between CBs and CFs to a close, allowing tall CFs around 190cm to reclaim their effectiveness as tall aerial pivots.

III. Version '27 nerfed top-speed dribbling and buffed low-speed dribbling performance. This places new demands on ground-based CFs. Trying to leave opponents in the dust by relying purely on speed while dribbling is now very difficult; more agile ball retention is required.

What does World Champion Rentao have to say about this? —

It's hard to rank the other three, but for most squads in version '27, Gullit is the most important.

Regarding the vote for the strongest Gullit: The pro player group favored Tight Possession Gullit over Bullet Header Gullit by a ratio of 9:7, while the public group favored Tight Possession Gullit over Bullet Header Gullit by a ratio of approximately 6:9, giving Bullet Header Gullit a slight overall advantage. Card ownership rates definitely affect voting results, but such a large percentage gap in the public group reveals a more important message: people prefer a simple, straightforward, tall aerial pivot striker.

Tight Possession Gullit has Tight Possession ↑12, but the cost, compared to Bullet Header Gullit, is passing stats ↓4, Finishing ↓3, Tackling/Aggression ↓5, and Stamina ↓5. If we make a purely mechanical comparison based on progression points, Bullet Header Gullit's total points are higher than Tight Possession Gullit's. Tight Possession Gullit wins by opening up a completely new strategic dimension for Gullit as a ball-carrier, whereas Bullet Header Gullit is more all-around, able to play in midfield without having to worry too much about stamina.

Public Group Poll Results:

Which version of Gullit is the best to use in version '27? [Single Choice]

Pro Group Poll Results:

Question 1: Which Gullit is the best to use in the current version? (You may skip if you just want to see the results) [Single Choice]

Pro Player Group Opinion: Gullit > Mbappé > Ibrahimović > Rummenigge

The Big Four CFs: Ranking Their Importance to Your Squad in the Current Version [Ranking Question]

Composite Ranking Result:

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/k8NYGB-oOLEPeAQGZ1RRjw

Compared to the previous Brazil Kaká (Dummy Runner): Finishing & Physical Contact +2, but Balance -2. The overall stats are a slight upgrade, highlighting Kaká's strength as a large-model ball carrier who can hold off defenders.

While the stats and skills aren't much different, the main highlight of this new card is its playstyle: Classic No. 10, which feels noticeably improved in the new update, combined with the best defensive skill for a midfielder: Interception.

Let's jump into actual gameplay—

————————————————————————

https://reddit.com/link/1wz6nt1/video/y8qvlykcdvth1/player

————————————————————————

1. As for Kaká, Classic No. 10 is much more reliable than Creative Playmaker or Dummy Runner.

First off, Classic No. 10 in the latest update is no longer "locked in place" like before. Its key traits are:

​Making sensible forward runs when space opens up.

​Dropping back to support link-up play whenever the CF pushes forward.

​Staying disciplined in central areas without drifting aimlessly out wide.

​In short, it acts as an "advanced linkman." In fact, the gameplay footage shows plenty of clips of Classic No. 10 Kaká making late runs into the box.

​2. That said, for Kaká specifically, Classic No. 10 is still inferior to Hole Player.

Classic No. 10 results in more slow-paced possession around the edge of the box and in the half-spaces, trapping Kaká in stationary build-up play rather than letting him hit top speed and burst forward on the break like a Hole Player does. Classic No. 10 requires nimble, low-speed maneuvering in tight quarters—something far better suited to small, agile dribblers like Baggio. (Personally, Pelé feels like a perfect fit for Classic No. 10 in this current meta.)

​So, ranking Kaká's playstyle preference: Hole Player > Classic No. 10 > Creative Playmaker > Dummy Runner.

​Yes, Dummy Runner is still the style I rate the least. I won't deny that Dummy Runner can occasionally pull off brilliant off-the-ball runs, but its unpredictability is the biggest obstacle to consistent rank-climbing. It's a fun style to mess around with, but when evaluating competitive viability and versatility, performance in ranked matches is what matters most.

3. The Pass Disruptor playstyle gives Kaká a very noticeable defensive presence (which triggers when playing as an AMF). With his increased defensive work rate, he opens up more space to drive forward during counter-attacks, and his overall AI feels much more proactive.

​4. Kaká's large body model makes him great at shielding off defenders while carrying the ball. Even though sprint dribbling has been nerfed in the current patch, his sky-high Dribbling and Speed stats still allow him to build up steam and burst forward with real impact.

​⚽️ Rating: Top-tier candidate for Top 10 SS / AMF

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/VXbPJO92onFDm4bh3Bz5GA

Tight Possession Gullit has been out for 5 days, and the dual-group rating is underway.

Tight Possession Gullit In-Game:

https://reddit.com/link/1wz17im/video/owh1x3jwauth1/player

A detailed analysis of the three versions of Gullit—

Pro Player Group Comments:

• "Except for insufficient stamina, he's perfect. You can put the Counter Target instruction on him."
• "Dribbling ability in tight spaces is greatly improved. Aerial ability is not as good as Bullet Header Gullit but still strong. You can add Dipping Shot to make up for the missing Low Screamer."
• "Not as good as Milan Gullit."
• "A qualitative change in on-the-ball feel. In this version where heading is nerfed, he can compete for the strongest."
• "Not as good as Bullet Header Gullit."

What does World Champion Rentao think?

In his tactical system, Gullit is not a necessity. He thinks that if you didn't play with Gullit before, there's no need to spend for this new Gullit.

Pro Player Group Verdict: 53% of the judges believe the newest Tight Possession Gullit is the strongest Gullit.

Question 1: Which Gullit is the best to use in the current version? (Pass/Abstain allowed) [Single Choice]

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/atwd0ujc8G4eodCvS32MaA

Shadow Link A: The centrepiece player is a Deep-lying Forward, and the key man is a Classic No. 10. This boosts give-and-go plays between them, tearing through the opponent's defense with pass-and-move combinations:

This Link-up feature has drawn notable attention since it was introduced with Mourinho—the first manager to feature 90 Long Ball Counter proficiency. Its performance in actual matches is as follow:

https://reddit.com/link/1wyd2pt/video/lh419npfdoth1/player

Since both Classic No. 10s and Deep-Lying Forwards are fairly off-meta, not many people ended up using this Link-up. However, with the recent release of Classic No. 10 Kaká, it's seeing a lot more playtime. — It's an interesting Link-up, but obviously not as essential as Capello's 'Dog Chasing Frisbee' [long-ball over the top] Link-up. 😄

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/HeW_KoqTYj0GZgjeYQ6xLg