The home of many legends whose names are integral parts of footballing history, packing an Icon in EA FC 26 can be either an euphoric or devastating experience. After all, even if still among the game’s upper echelon, the gap between the so-called fodder finds and the top tiers is steep, to say the very least.
But even among those select groups, a few players set themselves apart. Here are the five best and worst Base Icons in EA FC 26 Ultimate Team, ranked.
Table Of Contents
- 5. Best: Paolo Maldini (92 OVR / CB)
- 5. Worst: Xabi Alonso (87 OVR / CDM)
- 4. Best: Zinedine Zidane (94 OVR / CAM)
- 4. Worst: Hernán Crespo (86 OVR / ST)
- 3. Best: Pelé (95 OVR / CAM)
- 3. Worst: Henrik Larsson (86 OVR / ST)
- 2. Best: Mia Hamm (93 OVR / ST)
- 2. Worst: Sebastián Verón (86 OVR / CM)
- 1. Best: Ronaldo (94 OVR / ST)
- 1. Worst: Gennaro Gattuso (86 OVR / CDM)
5. Best: Paolo Maldini (92 OVR / CB)
- Face Stats: 85 PAC, 55 SHO, 74 PAC, 69 DRI, 95 DEF, and 82 PHY
- PlayStyles: Slide Tackle+, Precision Header, Jockey, Intercept, Anticipate, and Aerial Fortress
- Price: 3M+
Although not everyone’s first choice when compared to flashier or way more expensive picks, such as Ronaldinho, I could not do a best Icons list and not include Maldini, aka the best overall CB and Left Fullback in the game by a large margin. My only gripe with this card? How someone who actually watched Il Capitano play could give him only 69 DRI.
5. Worst: Xabi Alonso (87 OVR / CDM)
- Face Stats: 71 PAC, 77 SHO, 86 PAS, 78 DRI, 82 DEF, and 80 PHY
- PlayStyles: Long Ball Pass+, Power Shot, Pinged Pass, Slide Tackle, and First Touch
- Price: 110K+
Far from the worst Icon on paper, Xabi Alonso opens our Worst Of list due to one very specific reason: how heavy he feels without the ball. We know that might seem minor for some, but in a game where the CDMs play a much more active role in both your offense and defense, a lack of acceleration can close a lot of options.
4. Best: Zinedine Zidane (94 OVR / CAM)
- Face Stats: 83 PAC, 90 SHO, 94 PAS, 94 DRI, 73 DEF, and 84 PHY
- PlayStyles: Incisive Pass+, Finesse Shot, Game Changer, Long Ball Pass, Inventive, Technical, and First Touch
- Price: 2.8M+
Already famous for his phenomenal in-game feel, meta Incisive Pass+, and great pairing of Technical and First Touch, Zidane is the best pick for those looking to playmake from the middle as both a CAM and CM in FC 26. Honestly, if you are looking for a top-tier midfielder, no matter the price, is either Zizou or Gullit, no one else.
4. Worst: Hernán Crespo (86 OVR / ST)
- Face Stats: 86 PAC, 86 SHO, 70 PAS, 85 DRI, 36 DEF, and 70 PHY
- PlayStyles: Precision Header, Finesse Shot, Acrobatic, and Low Driven Shot
- Price: 80K+
A competent striker, Crespo’s dry selection of PlayStyles, illustrated by his disappointing Precision Header+, clinches him the fourth-worst spot in our list. On the bright side, his solid PAC/SHO stats and pairing of Low Driven and Finesse Shot can carry you a long way following breakthroughs.
3. Best: Pelé (95 OVR / CAM)
- Face Stats: 93 PAC, 94 SHO, 91 PAS, 94 DRI, 58 DEF, and 74 PHY
- PlayStyles: Technical+, Finesse Shot, Power Shot, Precision Header, Incisive Pass, Trickster, and Quick Step
- Price: 5M+
A player that needs no introduction, Pelé is both the best CAM in EA FC 26 and an unstoppable force in the hands of skillful dribblers. His unmatched stat distribution also allows him to showcase his excellence in multiple striker roles, such as Poacher, False 9, and Advanced Forward, all while scoring from virtually anywhere. In other words, when facing the King, you’d better not miss.
3. Worst: Henrik Larsson (86 OVR / ST)
- Face Stats: 87 PAS, 86 SHO, 73 PAS, 82 DRI, 45 DEF, and 71 PHY
- PlayStyles: Precision Header+, Finesse Shot, Chip Shot, and Quick Step
- Price: 80K+
While sharing many of the same weaknesses as Crespo and the also infamous Base Patrick Kluivert, Larsson makes it to our list via his inability to outperform any other ST Icon when in his main position, be it due to his low passing, physicality, or lack of the Low Driven Shot PlayStyle.
2. Best: Mia Hamm (93 OVR / ST)
- Face Stats: 92 PAC, 93 SHO, 86 PAS, 92 DRI, 54 DEF, and 81 PHY.
- PlayStyles: Low Driven Shot+, Finesse Shot, Power Shot, Rapid, First Touch, Quick Step, and Relentless
- Price: 7.5M+
Nicknamed the female R9 following her Icon debut in FC 24, Mia Hamm is just as effective as the Brazilian and has in her complete selection of PlayStyles (including Low Driven Shot+), as well as unbelievable excellence with and without the ball, more than enough to beat any defender. She is also considered one of the game’s best Shadow Strikers, second only to the King of Football himself.
2. Worst: Sebastián Verón (86 OVR / CM)
- Face Stats: 75 PAC, 81 SHO, 86 PAS, 81 DRI, 73 DEF, and 81 PHY
- PlayStyles: Incisive Pass+, Dead Ball, Game Changer, Long Ball Pass, and Inventive
- Price: 75K+
A testament to how no meta PlayStyle can salvage an underwhelming card, Sebastián Verón has in his lack of stats and heavy feel more than enough to eclipse his Incisive Pass+. Like many can imagine, that causes the Estudiantes legend to fall behind multiple budget Gold Rare picks when the subject is under 100K CMs as well.
1. Best: Ronaldo (94 OVR / ST)
- Face Stats: 94 PAC, 94 SHO, 79 PAS, 94 DRI, 43 DEF, and 75 PHY.
- PlayStyles: Quick Step+, Finesse Shot, Low Driven Shot, Technical, and Trickster
- Price: 11M+
Come FC, go FC — and Ronaldo continues to be the franchise’s premier Icon. The reason for that? Maybe it’s his unique body type, high pace, and explosive shooting, or, quite frankly, a bit of mysticism, as R9 not only feels unmatched during runs but always seems to be in the right place at the right time to score.
1. Worst: Gennaro Gattuso (86 OVR / CDM)
- Face Stats: 73 PAC, 62 SHO, 69 PAS, 70 DRI, 88 DEF, and 87 PHY
- PlayStyles: Relentless+, Intercept, Bruiser, and Enforcer
- Price: 80K+
To close out our list, we have a terror many unfortunately know, as Gattuso’s uneven stat distribution makes him unable to match his peers, even while taking his preferred role as a holding midfielder. His low passing also makes him an easy target to rush ins. To counter that, rely on his physicality to keep possession and do not attempt risky or quick passes.
Now that you know which Icons to focus on, as well as which you should attempt to avoid, make sure to take a look at The Best Strikers (ST) For Under 10K, 25K, And 100K In EA FC 26 Ultimate Team.
