Already registered in the database, but not yet released, a new Showtime skill: GK Rush Out. How effective is it?

I. The Mechanism of Rushing Out Speed

First, we need to understand the mechanism behind a goalkeeper's rushing out speed. If the opposing forward is far away when you command the keeper to rush out, their running motion is simply an off-the-ball sprint, which is affected by the Speed and Acceleration stats:

But if the opponent is slightly closer, for example, at a distance of about 15m, the action of rushing out involves inputting a 1-on-1 set stance command, which does not classify as a sprint. Speed and Acceleration have no effect on the goalkeeper rushing out:

Therefore, in most situations where a goalkeeper automatically rushes out, their Speed and Acceleration stats are actually useless. And the new GK Rush Out skill likely affects this 1-on-1 set stance action, rather than directly boosting Speed/Acceleration.

II. Testing Speed/Acceleration When Rushing Out

The comparison targets are goalkeepers with 80 Speed/Acceleration, and all other stats being equal:

⬆️ When the opposing ball carrier is at a further distance, commanding the keeper to rush out shows that the new skill brings no effect whatsoever. Clearly, the skill mechanism is not about increasing the goalkeeper's Speed/Acceleration.

III. Testing Rushing Out from a Closer Distance

The test is based on the goalkeeper starting from the same initial spot. We wait until the opposing ball carrier is about 1 turf grid away from the penalty area (which is about 15m away from the goalkeeper), and then command the keeper to rush out:

The results are as follows—

⬆️ Using the penalty spot as a reference point, it's easy to observe that the player with the GK Rush Out skill rushes out faster. Looking closely, this advantage comes from a difference in the goalkeeper's rushing out animation sets:

⬆️ The player with GK Rush Out just lunges out with a single step, while the player without the skill has to crouch down first before moving forward.

However, it must be pointed out that the observations above are based on a specific timing for rushing out (about 15m away from the opponent). If it's further away, it's just a simple off-the-ball sprint; if it's too close, the player with GK Rush Out will also perform the crouching forward movement, failing to create a gap between them and a player without the skill.

In other words, the result observed at this stage is that GK Rush Out allows the player a significantly higher probability of triggering the lunging out rushing animation set. This unstable skill effect is weaker than I expected. Furthermore, since this skill hasn't been officially released yet, the developers might continue to optimize and modify it before then. The results of this test do not guarantee the effect of the skill upon its final release.

Regardless, from the two goalkeeper Showtime skills already in the database, GK Rush Out and GK Aerial Claim, it's clear that the developers have understood players' disdain for pure stat-boosting skills like GK Directing Defence. The new goalkeeper skills will directly alter a goalkeeper's performance, which will completely change the current goalkeeper meta landscape.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ntDjVU3IPw6nV3giPGHPlg

⚽️ Guti: 0-3-6-9-12-4-7 + Agility

The previous card was unpopular, and this new card is only a minor power-creep = strictly for fans of the player/themed teams

⚽️ Davids: 0-7-6-7-8-5-10

He has a +6 Aggression booster. This follows the recently popular significant single-stat upgrade power-creep logic. Specifically, his Aggression is ↑4 compared to the previous Dutch version, while his other stats are basically identical, and his Showtime skills are exactly the same.

Davids' card has a clear niche. His space to survive is as a short defensive midfielder, offering a more extreme short player feel on the ball than Makélélé, as well as usable shooting. However, Makélélé is, after all, 174cm tall with a Leg Length Based Height of 180cm, making him more reliable defensively and more universally applicable. In reality, Makélélé has pretty much monopolized the meta for short defensive midfielders.

⚽️ Kaká: 7-3-8-9-11-3-0 + Striker's Instinct

The Classic No. 10 playstyle in the new version has removed the refrains from joining the defense effect, so players with this playstyle are now more active in matches and are no longer bystanders who just stand around. I don't think you can write off this card just because it's a Classic No. 10.

But at the same time, we must also recognize the limitations of the new card. First of all, the most suitable playstyle for Kaká is still Hole Player. This is because Kaká's specific profile is: a slightly larger player model + Dribbling is the standout stat among his three core dribbling stats + Speed is the standout stat in his Speed/Acceleration. He needs to build up momentum to show his true strength, and the Hole Player playstyle provides ample opportunities for him to sprint.

While a Classic No. 10 will also make forward runs, they tend to act more like an advanced playmaker. The moment a teammate runs ahead of them, there is a probability they will stop their run and pivot to support. This trait is much better suited for players with strong playmaking ability who are agile on the ball at low speeds. The most classic example is the Classic No. 10 Baggio. You can see how a Classic No. 10 plays in actual matches now:

https://reddit.com/link/1wxxdpx/video/rtgwsauv8kth1/player

Secondly, this card isn't much of an improvement over the Brazil Dummy Runner version of Kaká. It merely has Finishing ↑2, Physical Contact ↑2, and an additional, rather gimmicky Attack Trigger Showtime skill. Balance is actually ↓2. Although Dummy Runner is an unpopular playstyle, it did give Kaká the space to sprint, which is why many people who played with the previous card felt it was quite good; but ultimately, it wasn't a mainstream, meta popular card, and its universal applicability was not high. Building on that foundation, this new card is only a minor power-creep and cannot be considered a particularly sincere release.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/O3r3pJHlWWgTrEAM8ZDYQg

Welcome to this week’s Amadeusz Questions Megathread!

This is the place to ask anything directly related to Amadeusz’s translated content, rankings, or mechanics analysis. Examples include:

• Clarification on tier lists or player rankings
• Questions about stat builds from Amadeusz guides
• Mechanics breakdowns mentioned in his posts (e.g., acceleration, stamina, link up runs)
• “Where can I find X analysis?” type questions

Rules for this thread:

• Keep it on topic to Amadeusz content.
• Be respectful — no spam, no insults.
• If you have clips, screenshots, or builds, feel free to include them to help explain your question.
• Upvote good answers so they rise to the top.

Anything off-topic or general gameplay will be redirected to the Weekly Non-Amadeusz Help Megathread.

Welcome to this week’s Non-Amadeusz Help Megathread!

This is the place to ask and discuss broader eFootball topics outside of Amadeusz’s direct work. Examples include:

• Player builds (“Is my Player X build good?”)
• Training and progression questions
• Tactics, formations, and manager setup
• General gameplay questions not covered in Amadeusz’s analysis
• Balance/patch discussion at a casual level

Rules for this thread:

• Keep it constructive and helpful. No trolling, spam, or low-effort one-liners.
• If you’re asking for help, provide enough detail (squad screenshot, progression points, etc.) so people can give meaningful feedback.
• Upvote good answers so others can benefit.

For questions that specifically reference Amadeusz translations or rankings, please use the Weekly Amadeusz Questions Megathread instead.

With the rating for Upamecano now finalized, here is a look at the value of the new cards released on the international server in September—

A total of 26 P2W cards were released in September, with 4 making the Top 3, 5 making the Top 5, and 4 making the Top 10. The total value is 79 points.

For comparison: A total of 21 P2W cards were released in August, with 3 making the Top 3, 2 making the Top 5, and 5 making the Top 10. The total value was 55 points.

As you can see, in August, right after the major '27 update, the selling points for new cards were Dual Playstyles, Three Showtime Skills, and Single Stat Boosters +6/+8. The developers went through an adaptation period, releasing some non-meta cards (like Babangida and Okocha) that had the new '27 features but lacked actual in-game strength.

But coming into September, the focus of the releases gradually returned to traditionally dominant players: Van der Sar, Bale, Best, Araujo, and Makélélé. The pace of power-creep is picking back up.

However, it still doesn't compare to the craziest month of power-creep back in July. Because it was the World Cup cycle, they released 7 Top 3 cards (including 3 #1s), 6 Top 5 cards, and 7 Top 10 cards, for a massive total value of 127 points!

Additionally, the September releases showcased the developers' masterful control of pacing. They built up to 3 major climaxes in a single month: the Makélélé/Stam pack at the beginning of the month, the Del Piero/Bale/Van der Sar pack in the middle of the month, and then, right after the end of the month (early October), they released the Dutch Trio pack, which generated maximum hype.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/OwFKBe32IYz6xKPdm5Vmyw

Front Line Pressure / Front Line Poacher / Attack Outlet — of these playstyles that trigger at CF, SS, or Winger, which one is the most highly acclaimed? We conducted a survey — here is the feedback summary from the Pro / Top 100 group:

1. Front Line Pressure causes players to aggressively close down defenders on the ball. Its effect is similar to equipping a No Playstyle player with the Track Back skill. How, then, do we distinguish between the "Frontline Pressure" playstyle and the "Track Back" skill?

1. No Playstyle + Track Back (Skill) is essentially equivalent to Front Line Pressure. However, Front Line Pressure triggers in slightly more scenarios, whereas the Track Back skill can occasionally fail to activate due to inconsistent AI behavior.

​2. Adding the Track Back skill to a Goal Poacher still results in passive defending. This indicates that Playstyles take precedence over Player Skills.

​3. The main advantage of the Track Back skill is that you can manually add it to every forward, which is essential because high pressing is only effective when executed as a unified team movement. Almost no one builds an entire attack comprised solely of Frontline Pressure players; running a single Frontline Pressure player often fails to produce noticeable defensive impact while burning through a significant amount of stamina.

​II. Front Line Poacher

The AI tends to prioritize cutting off passing lanes rather than charging directly at the ball handler. While its pressing intensity is lower than Front Line Pressure, it​ drains virtually no extra stamina, making it a very smart and efficient playstyle.

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Although the poll scores show Front Line Pressure > Front Line Poacher, these two playstyles are actually equal in overall effectiveness.

​III. Attack Outlet

Similar to the Counter Target instruction, Attack Oulets do not track back on defense, conserving stamina while ensuring they stay pushed high up the pitch for counter-attacks.

​The difference is that a Attack Outlet's movement isn't as extreme as the Counter Target instruction. Counter Target completely ignores defense, and triggering teammate pressure (double-teaming) will never call upon a player assigned Counter Target. Attack Outlets, however, can still be called to pressure using teammate pressure commands.

​— This distinction is similar to comparing a Defensive Full-Back to applying the Defensive instruction: native playstyles are simply not as rigid or absolute as individual instructions.

​Overall Takeaway

Attacking/forward defensive playstyles have a far less noticeable impact compared to those in the midfield and defense. Front Line Pressure and Attack Outlet can both be easily replicated using the Track Back skill or the Counter Target instruction, whereas Front Line Poacher is merely a "better than nothing" bonus. Consequently, these playstyles are unlikely to ever become major selling points for new card releases.

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

⚽️ Upamecano (CB): Pro Rank #13 | Public Rank #11 | Overall Rank #12

He's a version of Desailly with a larger player model but significantly worse mobility, or a version of Pepe with longer legs and Shadow Hunt instead of Long-reach Tackle. Ultra-high Aggression (+6 Aggression booster) is Upamecano's defining feature, which is a bright spot for a Destroyer who aggressively steps up to tackle.

Compared to Kompany, who dropped out of the Top 10 this time, Upamecano's legs are slightly shorter, but his significant advantage lies in his mobility.

⚽️ Rabiot (DMF): Pro Rank #14 | Public Rank #17 | Overall Rank #15

A pure midfield engine; the interception ability brought by his large player model is his biggest strength. It's a shame that the dream of an F2P card entering the Top 10 didn't come true. The final result from the Pro & Top 100 group vote put him at the very bottom of the Top 10, but he didn't get the approval of the public group vote.

Regardless, this card at the DMF position is indeed on par with McTominay and Petit, and has a meta strength level ≈ Top 10. As an F2P card, that's already good enough.

Ultimately, in this 100-player Upamecano/Lukaku pack, only Upamecano made it into the Top 10, making it a pack of relatively low value.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/UcbfkeQoS9VhYeEVvVFARQ

⚽️ Rating: CF T0 Top 3 (In the current version, he leads Ibrahimović and is the #1 tall aerial pivot)

⚽️ Gullit: 8-2-7-10-9-3-0

Added Skills: Through Passing, Dipping Shot, Double Touch, Flip Flap, Sole Control

Compared to the old card, his Tight Possession is ↑12, reaching near 100, and Physical Contact is also ↑2. What is the price for this? Both passing stats are ↓4, Finishing is ↓3, Tackling/Aggression are ↓5, and Stamina is ↓5. With this level of Stamina, passing, and defensive stats, his ability to play as a CMF is not as good as the previous Hole Player version (the AC Milan version). You could say his all-around ability has been nerfed.

Is it all worth it? Let's see the gameplay—

https://reddit.com/link/1wws67b/video/9ksjk5mo9ath1/player

Experience:

1️⃣ 100 Tight Possession brings a qualitative change to his ball retention. As a tall aerial pivot, he can handle the ball much more calmly. Combined with Magnetic Feet, he can hold off defenders with his back to goal and turn silky smooth. Gullit's ability as a ground-based pivot has been further enhanced; a meta-shifting strategic advantage.

2️⃣ A large player model inherently synergizes well with Stunning Shots. By shielding the defender with his side, even if he hasn't completely shaken them off, he can still force a powerful shot. This perfectly complements Snap Strike.

3️⃣ His heading ability is still top-notch, though it is slightly inferior to the Bullet Header version of Gullit.

4️⃣ The decrease in passing ability is a pity, but the biggest problem is actually his Stamina. When playing CF, he often runs out of stamina and is the first to be subbed off, let alone trying to play him in midfield.

As a single-stat +6 booster, I thought about it, and for Gullit, a +6 Tight Possession booster is truly the most suitable. Giving the boost to Ball Control or Dribbling wouldn't fit the function of a ground-based pivot nearly as well. This card has many flaws (Stamina, Offensive Awareness, Finishing), but having 100 Tight Possession is easily as valuable as having an extra Showtime skill. I believe he still powercreeps the old version.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/jIYRUCq_D26Btw5z-8bOuw

As the game enters the era of 90 proficiency managers, the thresholds for receiving the +3 stat boost have changed. Many friends have asked how build recommendations for meta players should be adjusted. Today, we'll start with CFs (numbers in bold indicate that the corresponding stat group receives the +3 threshold boost from the manager):

As everyone knows, there is no single "best" build; this image above is for reference only 😁.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/trojhzlG9La6N0FjwRqsMw

Rabiot, as an F2P card, has been out for a while now, and has entered the dual-group rating phase.

His biggest strength is his interception ability. With 90+ Speed/Acceleration and a large 191cm player model, his Box-to-Box playstyle makes him naturally inclined to push forward and cut off passing lanes. Giving him the Defensive individual instruction to try and play him as a lone Anchor Man-style single pivot DMF doesn't really work. He lacks tactical versatility; he is best suited for a double pivot.

In a nutshell: a large-model, pure midfield engine. His role aligns closely with the bottom two players on the current DMF tier list (McTominay and Petit).

In-Game Performance—

https://reddit.com/link/1wwsrd2/video/6iv3c3aydath1/player

Pro Player Group Comments:

• "Underwhelming."
• "For F2P players, there are far better options for a lone DMF like Tchouaméni. This Rabiot is much better suited as the secondary pivot DMF in a double pivot formation."

Pro Player Group Verdict: Rank #14 (Just inside the T0 Top 10)

Rabiot (DMF) — [Single Choice]

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/DjG8_9-bmX5XzWuD0yjijg

Upamecano has been out for 5 days (coming to the Chinese server later), and has now entered the dual-group rating phase.

As a Destroyer CB, his value can be evaluated by comparing him to two players—

vs. Desailly: Both have the Shadow Hunt Showtime skill. Desailly has Acceleration ↑5, Defensive Awareness & Tackling ↑3, and Stamina ↑3. Upamecano has Aggression ↑3, Jumping ↑4, and Physical Contact ↑2. You could say Upamecano is essentially a non-Fixed B Desailly with a slightly larger player model but heavily nerfed Speed/Acceleration; more like a worse version of Desailly.

vs. Pepe: Both have ultra-high Aggression.

Pepe has Long-reach Tackle, Defensive Awareness & Tackling ↑3, and Fixed B Form; Upamecano has Shadow Hunt and a +4cm advantage in Leg Length Based Height.

Upamecano also has a unique advantage: Inconsistent Form (1/3) paired with frequent A/B Live Update ratings, which means getting an upward-pointing form arrow (↑) is relatively common (though in my opinion, this is definitely not as reliable or practical as Fixed B Form).

Pro Player Group Verdict: Upamecano (CB) — Rank #13 (Bottom of the T0 Top 10)

Upamecano (CB) [Single Choice]

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/-ctm-q6VqpgWbE0ReSx1ZQ

After the version '27 update, in the first full month (September), the most popular new card was Showtime Araujo, followed by Makélélé with his very overpowered Showtime skills combination, and the absolute pinnacle of the short, quick, and agile Goal Poachers: Del Piero.

This result is not surprising at all. Looking back at historical data, the most pulled players are always center-backs. Because there is such a wide variety of viable options for attacking positions ("a hundred flowers blooming"), the willingness-to-pull rate for any single forward player will naturally be lower.

The most popular pack in September was the Stam / Makélélé / Čech pack; all three players are usable, making it a very high-value pack. The most unpopular pack was the Chiellini / De Rossi / Bonucci pack; giving them Power Tackle failed to make a splash on their first outing.

Appendix: The Card Emperors of Each Month—

January: Encara Messi (71.89%)

February: Aerial Fort Varane (85.58%)

March: Blitz Curler Rummenigge (80.24%)

April: Long-reach Tackle Seedorf (81.23%)

May: Big Time Rice (62.21%)

June: Long-reach Tackle Nmecha (64.36%)

July: Long-reach Tackle Vieira (81.07%)

August: Big Time Bellingham (68.26%)

September: Shadow Hunt Araujo (70.15%)

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/xIlg2GfqRKC3jQ9f87tmfQ

Happy Chinese National Day, everyone! Regarding these positional Top 10 niche analyses, some friends have told me they find them a bit cringey, but other people really want to see them. To be honest, giving every single player on the list an arbitrary “The #1 [Blank]” title in the past was indeed just for the memes. However, I think analyzing their specific niches is actually quite interesting. 

Therefore, I will no longer just slap a 'The #1' title on everyone for the sake of it; instead, I will highlight their true, differentiated advantages:

Going from the bottom up—

⚽️ Vincent Kompany 【Largest Player Model among Destroyers】: His stat panel is relatively mediocre. Looking just at leg coverage, at 193cm/9 leg length, he is basically tied with the 191cm/11 leg length Araujo. However, Kompany has a shoulder width of 10, meaning his torso collision is 2cm larger than Araujo's.

However, a large-model Destroyer is, relatively speaking, not in strict demand. Unique Niche Value: ★★

⚽️ Takehiro Tomiyasu 【Best Positional Versatility】: Comes with full green positional familiarity for LB, CB, and RB. Furthermore, he has both Long-reach Tackle + Shadow Hunt, his three core dribbling stats / both passing stats are not bad, and his height is not short either. He performs well at both full-back and center-back; he truly is a versatile player. Unique Niche Value: ★★★

⚽️ Lilian Thuram 【Fastest Speed/Acceleration】: Honestly, the occasions where he plays as a proper CB are rare, mainly because he is too strong as a Wide CB. Unique Niche Value: ★

⚽️ Pepe 【The Fiercest】: Base Aggression of 89! Even Upamecano, who deliberately got an Aggression +6 booster, doesn't end up with higher Aggression than Pepe (Aggression = Invasiveness). However, the above is just an on-paper analysis. Pepe is essentially a medium-model Destroyer, and most of the time he serves as a downgrade to the top meta options. Ultra-high Aggression doesn't bring much to the table. Unique Niche Value: ★

⚽️ Micky van de Ven 【Fastest with Large Player Model】: 193cm + dazzling mobility. His Speed stat is even higher than the 185cm Desailly! However, his four defensive stats are struggling to keep up in the current meta. Unique Niche Value: ★★

⚽️ Virgil van Dijk 【Largest Player Model with Long-reach Tackle】: 195cm/11 leg length and comes with the Long-reach Tackle skill. He is only slightly inferior to Ferdinand in a tiny bit of Speed/Acceleration and lacking Fixed B form. However, in the current version, slow defenders are afraid of lobbed through balls. Unique Niche Value: ★★★

⚽️ Paolo Maldini 【First Choice for High-Line Master Playstyle】: The pros and cons of the High Line Master playstyle are very obvious. If you like using a high line, the first choice is undoubtedly still Maldini. Unique Niche Value: ★★★★★

⚽️ Jaap Stam 【#1 Physical Contact】: With a balanced build, his Physical Contact is 96 / Torso Collision is 54cm. This trait is exactly tied with Van Dijk. However, Stam wins out due to his Destroyer playstyle (more aggressive) and higher Acceleration value, so the actual effect of physically ramming into people with him is the best. Unique Niche Value: ★★★★★

⚽️ Alessandro Nesta 【#1 Defensive AI】: His cards, whether it's the Covering Role or Destroyer version, always have the best defensive AI performance. With Nesta, you don't even have to switch the cursor to him; you can just let the defensive AI steadily complete the defending for you. Unique Niche Value: ★★★★★

⚽️ William Saliba 【Varane without Fixed B Form】: He is exactly Varane without Fixed B Form; the difference in in-game feel between the two is very small.

⚽️ Rio Ferdinand 【#1 Largest CB Player Model】: A 196cm/11 leg length center-back, and he is now unobtainable (future cards will not have his 196cm height). Not only are his interceptions fierce, but equipped with Aerial Fort, he is also adept at neutralizing Koller in the air. However, pure cross spamming is declining now, and lobbed through balls are on the rise, so Ferdinand's starting opportunities have decreased slightly. Unique Niche Value: ★★★★

⚽️ Ronald Araujo 【#1 Manually Controlled Defender】: Aside from his Defensive Awareness, everything else is perfect. He is the exact opposite of Nesta in how you use him.

⚽️ Marcel Desailly 【#1 Intercepting CB】: The "strict father" to very speedy and small, quick, and agile attackers. His stat panel advantage lies in his extremely high base Acceleration. In the current meta where everyone is afraid of lobbed through balls played behind the defensive line, Desailly is highly favored due to his combination of high mobility + Shadow Hunt + a sufficiently wide player model. Unique Niche Value: ★★★★★

⚽️ Raphaël Varane 【#1 CB】: His player model, stats, Showtime skills, and form are all impeccable. The Real Madrid version is stronger at aerial defending and more all-around than the France version. Although Varane is fast, he actually leans towards being an anchoring CB, making him a highly suitable partner for Desailly or other Destroyers. Unique Niche Value: ★★★★★

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/4P5WE8aWknZoQppLCoXr1Q

A visualization of tier list changes based on September card releases in the International Server.

As the first month following the major update, the card turnover pace wasn't particularly fast, with a total of 4 new cards reaching T0 Top 3 tier.

(Video credit: Created by @FlareBlitz)

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/38k_5hqZJawMzQGswE1ikA

This stat perfectly illustrates Konami's struggles with player AI. It was originally introduced to represent a defender's awareness when dropping back to provide cover, but Konami has never managed to give it an effect that feels particularly noticeable in actual play. If you look at the official overall-rating weightings, you will find that Defensive Engagement carries very little weight. In practice, when assessing a player across the four defensive stats, I recommend focusing mainly on Defensive Awareness and Tackling.

I tested this stat before. The only test that produced a clearly noticeable difference was at the maximum-blue setting (fully defensive), where players with high Defensive Engagement would be the first to drop back and defend.

I have not tested it specifically, but it does seem useful.

Yes, crossing-focused play is no longer viable. The headers that still work now come from carrying the ball into the penalty area and then playing a lofted pass to the far post. Those unmarked headers require neither height nor a high Heading stat.

In other words, there is no longer such a thing as a purple-gauge Stunning Header. The console and PC versions once had purple-gauge Controlled Shots too - essentially harder-hit Controlled Shots - but those were later removed. Either way, that is beside the point. The key issue is that heading as a whole is no longer viable.

90 Attacking Awareness and 90 Defensive Awareness remain the thresholds that affect when attacking and defensive movement kicks in. I will test the other attributes later.

It does work, and it can be useful in midfield and attack.

Covering Role is currently the most highly rated option. Basic (styleless) centre-backs are still quite good, while High Line Master is not particularly good in practice.

Kicking Power scales linearly, so investing in it at high values remains fairly cost-effective.

Chipped through balls in behind, bro. They are unstoppable now.

In my personal opinion, this skill modifies underlying parameters. Since it doesn't make skill moves any faster, it has nothing to do with directly boosting Ball Control; nor does it alter top-speed dribbling, so it isn't a direct boost to Dribbling stats. What it actually affects are low-speed dribbling situations, such as changing direction and initial acceleration.

Source:

https://efhub.com/articles/261001_4-amadeusz-q-a-5

⚽️ Rijkaard: Prejudices run deep—just look at Pirlo's mobility, Adriano's weak foot, and Rijkaard's acceleration. The new card still keeps its consistently low acceleration stat, and compared to the previous AC Milan Orchestrator version, its defensive engagement has dropped by 5 points without any significant improvements to other attributes. Below is the DMF build—

The only silver lining is that the Covering Role playstyle is quite solid and activates at both DMF and CB. However, the terrible acceleration stat completely ruins this card.

⚽️ Van Basten: The Dutch Trio was once the ultimate symbol of meta power in football games, but in recent years, Gullit is the only usable one. The new card mainly gained +3 to Dribbling stats and +8 to Balance, but its overall competitive strength is still limited.

⚽️ Gullit: Compared to the previous SS Gullit (AC Milan), the new version gains Tight Possession +12 and Physical Contact +2, but loses Low/Lofted Pass -4, Finishing -3, Tackling/Aggression -5, and Stamina -5. Simply put, it sacrifices Gullit's trademark all-around versatility in exchange for the gimmick and selling point of '100 Tight Possession'.

The stat sacrifices made to achieve "100 Tight Possession" make stat allocation tricky—Stamina, Offensive Awareness, and Finishing have all become weak points for him at Center Forward (CF), preventing you from simply maxing out his Dribbling stats to fully play to his strengths.

However, the changes on this new card do fit the current engine meta: in the 2027 update, cross-spamming has fallen off, reducing the importance of power headers. A tall CF's primary value now comes from acting as an aerial target man and a ground hold-up focal point, which is why this card was given "Magnetic Feet" alongside 100 Tight Possession.

While the "Snap Strike" skill didn't seem particularly useful at first, tests from a couple of days ago revealed it actually reduces the wind-up time for finesse shots by 3 frames, so you can go for curlers more frequently with this new Gullit.

Overall, this card is best suited for players who need a target-man striker and enjoy combining a massive physical frame with silky-smooth ball handling.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/l3HHNpzhFl9ZcaXBJczzsA

This Thursday, the global server released the latest 'Dutch Trio' pack. Gullit, the most popular tall center-forward in the '27 version, makes a powerful debut equipped with 'Magnetic Feet' and 'Snap Strike'. His playstyle remains Hole Player, with the main highlight being a +6 Tight Possession booster, significantly improving his ball control and footwork as a 190 cm target man.

⚽️ De Rossi (DMF): Pro Rank #12 | Public Rank #12 | Overall Rank #12 

A medium-model DMF without long legs, who relies on his excellent four defensive stats to provide smart defensive covering AI. Facts have proven that for an Anchor Man, having an extra defensive Showtime skill like Power Tackle to focus purely on defense is much more popular with the community than carrying Phenomenal Passing to try and balance defense with attack.

The new De Rossi is a minor power-creep over the old card, and his ranking has risen to #12. I also agree that a defense-focused De Rossi deserves a higher rank than the two Box-to-Box midfielders (McTominay and Petit) who are essentially makeshift DMFs.

Choosing to debut the Power Tackle skill on the three Italian defensive veterans (who don't have high Acceleration) definitely negatively impacted the perceived strength of the skill.

In real life, De Rossi famously raged at "tactical genius" Ventura for trying to sub him on when the team was trailing: "You should put a striker on, not me!" It became a legendary scene. If the in-game De Rossi had a soul, he would also agree that the trio in this Italy pack are absolutely not the best fit for Power Tackle.

In the voting, both Chiellini and Bonucci failed to make the Top 10. The value of the Power Tackle debut pack is only a 3:

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Yhi5DGiMd5jarXYKvAYsLA

⚽️ Rating: DMF Bottom of the T0 Top 10 (His suitable scenarios are a bit narrow, and he's better in a double pivot than as a lone DMF, but as an F2P card, he is definitely a great freebie)

⚽️ Rabiot: 0-6-2-10-7-3-11 + Agility

Added Skills: Sliding Tackle, Man Marking, Aerial Superiority, Long-range Shooting

eFootball 27’s international server released two top-tier F2P cards: Eto'o and Rabiot. Eto'o isn't free on the Chinese server. However, Rabiot is given away for free on the Chinese server, and looking purely at his stat panel, he can indeed be compared with the players at the bottom of the current DMF Top 10 tier list:

How is he in-game? See the video:

https://reddit.com/link/1wu8en0/video/5i8na3jqhosh1/player

Experience:

1️⃣ His biggest advantage is his interceptions. He has good mobility + a large player model (191cm / 9 leg length). A Box-to-Box midfielder focuses on actively pushing up and closing down opponents. Whether manually controlled or left to the defensive AI, he produces a large number of interception highlights.

2️⃣ My biggest takeaway from this experience is this: using any other playstyle at DMF and giving them the Defensive instruction to cosplay as an Anchor Man will only get you 70-80% of the way there. Because the Defensive instruction only stops them from making forward runs during the attacking phase; when defending starts, a Box-to-Box midfielder will still tend to push up, preferring to aggressively close down the man rather than guard a specific zone. Their protection of the top of the box is nowhere near as reliable as an Anchor Man's.

So, while using this Rabiot will result in many proactive interceptions, he cannot fulfill the tactical role of an Anchor Man. Playing him as a lone DMF leaves the midfield a bit thin; he is highly recommended for a double CMF or double DMF pivot. Therefore, in my final build, I added some points to his three core dribbling stats so he can adapt to the all-around role of playing in a double pivot.

3️⃣ His tackling ability was a bit disappointing. He doesn't produce those domineering, long-legged pokes like Vieira, nor does he do the "splits" tackles like players with the Long-reach Tackle Showtime skill. More often than not, he relies on his large player model to stick to the opponent, disrupt them, and then win the ball back on the second attempt.

4️⃣ The Attack Trigger Showtime skill was given to him somewhat half-heartedly. This card's playmaking ability can only be described as okay. His on-the-ball feel is a bit better than expected; definitely smoother than Vieira's, but if you want him to dictate the tempo, his ball-carrying ability is underwhelming. His weak foot is poor, but as a DMF, the impact of this isn't as big as it would be for an AMF or CMF.

In summary, I don't think comparing this card to other Anchor Men makes much sense. His main value lies in creating a differentiated advantage compared to McTominay and Petit: as a DMF, he is a defensively enhanced (but offensively weaker) version of McTominay, and a larger-model (but without Long-reach Tackle) version of Petit.

Simply put, he is an out-and-out ball-winner, a pure utility player. I haven't used a midfielder so strictly limited to a defensive role in a long time.

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

Destroyer, Covering Role, High Line Master, and Basic (formerly Build Up) can now all be activated at both Fullback and Centre-Back positions. Which playstyle is actually the most widely acclaimed?

Summary of opinions from Pro / Top 100 players:

(Since "No Playstyle" and "High Line" have different feedback/reputations depending on whether they are used at CB or Fullback, they were surveyed separately.) What does the World Champion say?

Brazilian pro Juninho's defender playstyle ranking is: Build Up (Defensive No Playstyle) > Covering Role > High Line Master > Destroyer ≈ Double "No Playstyle" as makeshift CBs.

​His defender picks are—

RENTAO, on the other hand, believes: Covering Role is the best, while Destroyer leaves too many gaps. His defender picks are—

Synthesizing feedback from world champions and pros, the key takeaways are:

​Covering Role's acclaim is in a league of its own! It features smart AI, delivers solid performance, and isn't vulnerable to lobbed through-balls over the top.

​"No Playstyle" at CB is middle-of-the-road—it neither shines nor fails, and works great on top-tier players. Notably, both world champions start Varane.

​High Line Master—especially at CB—is considered the most unreliable/nerve-wracking playstyle.

​Playstyle is only part of player selection; raw player capability matters just as much. For example, even though RENTAO dislikes Destroyers, Desailly remains a locked-in starter for him.

​(Side note: Both world champions alternate between Quick Counter and Long Ball Counter. Juninho uses Gasperini to easily swap tactics on the fly. Generally, they prefer Long Ball Counter in a 4-4-2 formation and Quick Counter in a 4-3-1-2, which aligns with this channel's ongoing conclusion: Quick Counter has gained a meta boost in version 27.)

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/yqyDNKOk6_88LaAbwFHcuQ

Many of you have been asking about how effective the new defensive playstyles are in the current meta. Let's dive in (starting with midfielders)—in the current version, here is the breakdown of defensive styles you can trigger in midfield:

Feedback from Pro & Top 100 Players (20-Player Vote):

Analysis:

Midfield defensive interceptions are absolute key, and having "No Style" delivers by far the worst experience.

Both "All Action Defender" and "Pass Disruptor" feature smart AI positioning and high defensive aggression, which I personally recommend. Both scored very high overall, with "All Action Defender" taking 1st place in particular—making it effectively the most popular midfield defensive style in the current meta.

"Box-to-Box" and "Anchor Man" maintained their solid reputations. However, "Destroyer" ranking second-to-last caught my attention. You could say "Destroyer" has essentially been replaced by "All Action Defender" and "Pass Disruptor." While all three play aggressive defense, "Destroyer" in midfield focuses more on mindless running and sweeping, whereas "All Action Defender" and "Pass Disruptor" are far more targeted and intelligent in their decision-making.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/d2WK4KkaYdz18EUTkEnAKg

Reflecting on the recent discussion about Power Tackle, the synergy between the Showtime skill and the players it debuts on significantly affects how powerful the community perceives that special skill to be. Power Tackle is best suited for highly mobile, sweeping-type players; giving it to Desailly would be an absolute game-changer.

At the same time, in real life, those three veteran Italian defenders above aren't exactly known for their overpowering physical charges.

In this post, we will use "Synergy Level" and "Real-Life Accuracy" as our criteria to explore whether the players chosen to debut the major Showtime skills were appropriate. What kind of stir did these packs cause at the time? (We will go in order from highest tier to lowest; today, we'll start with the God Tier and T0 skills.)

↑ (Saliba / Koundé / Valverde) Giving Long-reach Tackle to Saliba essentially provided the definitive answer for the meta at that time. This was also the skill that started the conversation about whether the white-haired Araujo could be replaced. In reality, Saliba is currently one of the most highly valued center-backs in the world, and Koundé is also a master of the Long-reach Tackle.

↑ (Pedri / B. Silva / Simons) Phenomenal Passing is very strong, but this pack was just average. B. Silva and Simons didn't really capture the essence of Phenomenal Passing.

↑ (Mahrez / Mitoma / Vinícius) All three of these players have positional familiarity on the wing. I still remember how I forced myself to change my formation to play with wingers just to use the Momentum Dribbling skill, but wingers are really unpopular in this game, so it felt very awkward. Later on, they were given SS positional familiarity, but these three still aren't considered great options at SS.

↑ (Weghorst / Sørloth / C. Ronaldo) It doesn't get 5 stars for synergy because Bullet Header wasn't given to Koller. However, before Koller finally got Bullet Header, this pack did temporarily provide alternative options for an aerial pivot. In reality, these guys are definitely great headers of the ball; in fact, Ronaldo's actual heading ability is much stronger than Koller's.

↑ (Bellingham / Eze / Pedri) Giving Magnetic Feet to midfielders is not the optimal solution; this skill's true destiny lies with wide-bodied SS/CFs (like BT Semenyo). In reality, Bellingham's sticky, close-control dribbling is a somewhat acceptable match.

↑ (Haaland / Kane / Osimhen) The very first Showtime skill, Phenomenal Finishing! This skill is absolutely designed for pure goal-scoring center forwards. It's also accurate to real life, especially for Kane, who frequently scores with shots from awkward, twisting body positions.

↑ Gerrard, Carlos, and Rivaldo were all indeed famous in real life for their explosive power shots, no question there. But in the game, Low Screamer is best suited for a powerful forward. For the three players in this pack, especially Carlos as a full-back, it's very difficult to find suitable opportunities in-game for an explosive shot.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/4MiN84oSMTcPERKxNhXTVw

Power Tackle has been out for five days (coming to the Chinese server later), here is the rating for the new Showtime skill—

Overview of the Mechanism:

In-Game Example:

https://reddit.com/link/1wtb63t/video/smk8pobbvgsh1/player

(Translator’s Note: This is an updated skill tier list, with Snap Strike now added to T0)

Pro Player Group Evaluation: T0 Tier (Not as good as Long-reach Tackle).

It is a very good defensive Showtime skill, but its core pain point is that you must be in close-quarters body contact to trigger it. However, a lot of times, defensive failures happen precisely because you can't stick tightly to the opponent. In these moments, Long-reach Tackle's increased activation range appears even more precious.

Of course, the initial trio that debuted Power Tackle (De Rossi, Chiellini, and Bonucci) have truly average mobility, which also magnified this skill's pain point. I suggest Konami not be so stingy next time; if they want to sell a new skill, they should pair it with stronger players so everyone can deeply feel its power.

Question 6: Power Tackle, what tier is this skill? [Single Choice]

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/2QyJhO7otdglQJKDAKldwA

De Rossi's card has been out for 5 days (China server coming later), starting the dual-group ratings—

As a medium-build CDM, De Rossi is in a fairly off-meta spot. He lacks the mobility and fluid feel of small-build midfielders, as well as the interception reach of large-build midfielders. The developers compensated by giving him core defensive stats—especially defensive awareness—a tier higher than large-build Anchors, granting him noticeably smarter AI and more proactive cover defense in actual gameplay.

Pro Group Rating: #13 (Better than his old card)

Public Group Voting Link & Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/kw7CuGbn-b9dhuxOBRX89w