Quite a few people have reminded me that the CMF/DMF tier lists were missing two players—

https://preview.redd.it/s9719b1veq0h1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b5280b09f6aedc6268e864873e42f3e9234b50c5

I. Caicedo (Revote: CMF)

https://preview.redd.it/g8fg55fueq0h1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1132475d2c0a5e2299575804cd0ccd281ba54c5d

Analysis: Compared to Karembeu, who is also 178cm and has a Medium weak foot accuracy, Caicedo has +4 leg length, +2 to the four defensive stats, and the same Speed/Acceleration (though Karembeu's specialization in Acceleration is actually better). He also has Long-reach Tackle. Caicedo's disadvantage is that he doesn't have Fixed B Form, and his Acceleration, which is very important in the current version, isn't as extreme as Karembeu's.

Compared to Makélélé, another Destroyer, Makélélé has higher defensive stats + Fixed B Form, and also occupies the niche of a tackler with a good on-the-ball feel who can progress the ball. Caicedo definitely still falls a bit short.

There are so many strong CMFs; the gap between the Top 10 and Top 20 is actually very small. Let's see where Caicedo can be placed.

Pro Player Group Comments—

No.	Submission Time	Comment Text
6	May 12, 11:06	A mini Makélélé.
8	May 12, 11:12	Great on-the-ball feel.
17	May 12, 11:51	Serves as a link between tiers, but his Rarely usage /Medium weak foot accuracy is a shame.

II. Van Bommel (Revote: DMF)

https://preview.redd.it/wuq0iinteq0h1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4b357383cd2c31d7befb9e8f2ad49010f62d833e

Analysis: 187cm + Fixed B Form + Phenomenal Passing. His stat panel isn't bad either. The DMF position doesn't have that many strong contenders, so if Van Bommel can get on the tier list, he should be given a chance.

Pro Player Group Comments—

No.	Submission Time	Comment Text
3	May 12, 10:52	A nerfed version of Rodri.
6	May 12, 11:06	Top-tier.
8	May 12, 11:12	No weak links in Speed/Acceleration, defensive stats, or passing.
17	May 12, 11:51	A better substitute for "The Professor" Busquets.

Caicedo (CMF): Pro Rank #12 

Question 4: [Revote] Caicedo's Ranking as a CMF

Option	Count	Percentage
Top 10 (Rice)	12	60%
Top 15 (Karembeu)	3	15%
Top 20 (Verón)	2	10%
Worse than the above	2	10%
Pass / Abstain	1	5%
Number of valid responses	20

Van Bommel (DMF): Pro Rank #10

Question 5: [Revote] Van Bommel's Ranking as a DMF

Option	Count	Percentage
Top of the Top 10 (O'Shea)	9	45%
Bottom of the Top 10 (Busquets)	3	15%
Top 15 (Gattuso)	0	0%
Top 20 (Davids)	2	10%
Worse than the above	3	15%
Pass / Abstain	2	10%
(Blank)	1	5%
Number of valid responses	20

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/q15422PERpfyCFDqzEnTCg

https://preview.redd.it/befnsa4r3j0h1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=19d30f0f16d237d6af217fdc0179efcbbba57eaf

⚽ Rating: T0 (The old card was outside the Top 15; the new card is a minor power-creep, but not a game-changing one)

⚽️ Valverde: 0-8-10-8-8-2-8 + Agility 

Added Skills: Outside Curler, Double Touch, Aerial Superiority

A very standard, well-rounded Box-to-Box midfielder. He can run, he can dribble a bit, and he can unleash powerful shots (Low Screamer). His four defensive stats are also at a 90 level, which meets the defensive awareness threshold so he basically doesn't get the acceleration debuff. He has Fortress, so when leading in the second half, his Defensive Awareness/Tackling gets a +5% boost, making him even more solid with a lead.

In-Game Gameplay—

https://reddit.com/link/1ta75b1/video/z72ldasx3j0h1/player

In-game, his ball progression and shooting are satisfying, and he also contributes defensively. However, his essence is still that of a workhorse. With a model in the 180cm range, his on-the-ball feel is indeed not as good as Seedorf's, and his defending, limited by his model, is not as good as a long-legged monster like Bellingham.

He's best suited as a backup for Seedorf.

What do you think of Valverde?

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/9y8Zgem8sl3hcVSFHQU0jA

View Poll

Quick Recap: The effect of Fortress is: when leading in the second half, the player with the skill gets a +5% boost to their own Defensive Awareness and Tackling stats.

The original skill description reads: "Improves player's defensive abilities after the second half mark, as long as the team has a goal advantage." Many friends raised a question: the activation condition seems like it could be interpreted as being dependent on the score at the moment the second half begins.

Specifically, does the skill activate in these two scenarios?

1️⃣ You are not leading at the start of the second half, but you take the lead later on.

2️⃣ You are leading at the start of the second half, but the opponent later equalizes.

To be honest, I personally think the skill description is already quite precise, but everyone still wants to see it with their own eyes. So, let's give it a try. The test will still use the "reverse-deduction from running animation" method—

https://preview.redd.it/3g7fufm6tc0h1.jpg?width=795&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b922439dd380cd79aae6d17f0eece343136eb8e

Scenario 1: Taking the lead after the second half has started.

https://i.redd.it/xdjr52lntc0h1.gif

⬆️ Conclusion: The skill activates.

Scenario 2: Leading at the start of the second half, but then the opponent equalizes or even takes the lead.

https://preview.redd.it/0tw5l9e9tc0h1.jpg?width=516&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e44a3386e10dbf7942aad9b2398cc561edf0cdfc

https://i.redd.it/44hiemkotc0h1.gif

⬆️ Conclusion: The skill deactivates.

So, we can summarize the activation conditions for Fortress as follows: ① be in the second half, ② have a lead.

I've discovered a very interesting phenomenon: when discussing player builds, some friends will praise the builds of certain foreign pros (especially from the Japanese server) who max out the four defensive stats to 100 without adding much to Speed/Acceleration, believing that this makes the defender perform much better in-game. Then, when discussing Fortress, many friends will say that the 5% boost to Defensive Awareness/Tackling doesn't feel very strong. So, are the four defensive stats impactful or not?

My personal view is that the four defensive stats are definitely important, but not so important that they are a full tier above Speed/Acceleration or player model. That's why I always recommend a balanced build, trying to hit the Speed/Acceleration thresholds. At the same time, Fortress is definitely a bit more valuable than many people imagine, but it's certainly not as good as Long-reach Tackle.

A lot of the time, our preconceived notions really do affect our in-game feel.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/xri4KK7o6TixG-7fIb9bWg

After the dual-group rating, the strength of the various Link-up Plays can be divided into 3 tiers—

https://preview.redd.it/0b203qe1oc0h1.jpg?width=603&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9375710dd8e68f1159913ac415b9aa9a1a2166f8

Capello's Over-the-Top Pass A for a DMF finding a CF, even though it has been nerfed slightly, still possesses a formidable tactical threat. It is indeed the #1 Link-up Play—

https://i.redd.it/4xzk2xq0oc0h1.gif

As for Beckenbauer’s Breakthrough Pass B for a CMF finding a CF, although it doesn't trigger a special forward run, it can enhance passing accuracy and the smoothness of the first touch. Moreover, its trigger conditions are more common than Over-the-Top Pass A. It's a "silent but deadly" type of tactic. See the gameplay—

https://reddit.com/link/1t9e4u5/video/dmpy1110oc0h1/player

A detailed evaluation table for all Link-up Plays can be found at the end of this post

Link-up Play	Evaluation Summary
Over-the-Top Pass A [Capello] (DMF → CF)	A Classic Tactic (Like "a dog catching a frisbee"): Was once a god-tier link-up play. Although its accuracy has been nerfed in the current version, it's still usable. It has specific player requirements; currently, a large-model DMF (like Rodri) is a good fit, but in some situations, the benefits are not as good as a meta defensive DMF (like Vieira).
Over-the-Top Pass B [Rijkaard] (CMF → LWF/RWF)	Specific Role Enhancement: Can trigger a prolific winger to make runs similar to a Roaming Flank.
Over-the-Top Pass C [Klopp] (CB → LWF/RWF)	High-Threshold Tactic: Extremely demanding of player stats. It strictly requires the defender to have a Lofted Pass stat of 80+, and at the same time, the winger needs to have an extremely high initial burst of speed.
Diagonal Long Pass A [Mourinho] (AMF → LMF/RMF)	Stat & Model Driven: Requires the AMF to have extremely high passing stats, and it's also recommended to choose a wide midfielder with a larger player model to ensure they can successfully receive the pass.
Diagonal Long Pass B [Guardiola] (LWF/RWF → LB/RB)	A Niche Tactical Choice: Has a relatively strong element of fun. In practice, it heavily tests the player's ability to spot open space on the weak side and make a large-scale switch of play.
Breakthrough Pass A [Alonso] (AMF → CF)	Quick Counter First Choice: The feel of the through ball is very comfortable, making it a meta choice for a quick counter system. It has great chemistry with Goal Poacher CFs; however, there is some feedback that its diagonal run trigger is most effective in a two-striker formation.
Breakthrough Pass B [Beckenbauer] (CMF → CF)	Practical & Versatile Choice: The most adaptable and practical ordinary tactic. It effectively improves the stability of a CF's first touch, which directly helps with linking up for a shot. Some players feel the improvement isn't obvious, but its strength lies in its consistency.
Aggressive Centering A [Allegri] (LMF/RMF → CF)	No evaluation
1-2 Cut-in A [Cruyff] (LMF/RMF → CF)	No evaluation

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/KpCEPEKbVZOM-Uui1yyseQ

My recent testing has confirmed the mechanism for Fortress: +5% to Defensive Awareness and Tackling (Aggression and Defensive Engagement are yet to be confirmed). Today, let's examine the Top 10 CBs from the perspective of this ST skill.

In the table below: "DA" represents Defensive Awareness, and "Tack" represents Tackling—

https://preview.redd.it/65me3id9eb0h1.jpg?width=825&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=75352cb9915d23b0aade1be977ea0adec6a0dab1

(The table above is based on a +10 to the Defending group, which is a common build for meeting the 90 Speed / 88 or 91 Acceleration thresholds, and it's also the build I most commonly recommend.)

"With Fortress" row: No Fortress indicates the player does not have the Fortress ST skill.

"Stat Cap" row: This is based on the primary booster. Because some players' primary booster does not increase Defensive Awareness (e.g., Stam), their boosted Defensive Awareness after the Fortress effect cannot break the 99 stat cap.

As you can see, a +10 to the Defending group is a perfect fit for the Fortress boost. For example, Desailly's boosted stats become 100 DA / 102 Tack, and Pepe's become 99 DA / 102 Tack, both of which are right near the booster cap.

What's interesting is that I've discovered the game is quite cautious about giving a player both Fortress and Long-reach Tackle at the same time. Not a single one of the top-ranked large-model defenders has both. In the Top 10 tier list, only Pepe, Thuram, and Bergomi have both. Expanding to other positions, among commonly used players, only Gattuso, Edmílson, Puyol, and Costacurta have this combination.

To some extent, this actually demonstrates how highly the developers rate the Fortress ST skill.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/RrM1JWLpSWM7IkqveJRmaQ

https://preview.redd.it/7axg7i5pr40h1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=87f84654f9f1c87da322f7c18c1a02185cb56149

Showtime Dembélé has been out for five days (coming to the Chinese server later), and he has now entered the dual-group rating phase.

Compared to the Ballon d'Or Dembélé, this card has +2 Physical Contact and Tight Possession, making him a bit more robust, and his stat panel has a slight lead. The lack of his important skill, Momentum Dribbling, lowered my initial expectations for this Showtime card. However, after playing with him for these past few days, several friends in the pro player group have indicated that this Showtime card is a bit better than they expected. Having higher physical stats + Phenomenal Finishing makes this Showtime Dembélé lean a bit more towards being a finisher.

Especially for players who like to use Acceleration Burst, this skill, while still not meta, is quite strong in the current version if you know how to use it. It can be a unique weapon.

Pro Player Group Comments:

No.	Response Text
2	His finishing ability is strengthened. Acceleration Burst creates separation, and at the same time, it's very easy to score with his high Kicking Power and Phenomenal Finishing.
4	God-tier stats and a great on-the-ball feel.
9	The on-the-ball feel with Momentum Dribbling is the main reason to play Dembélé.
12	The on-the-ball feel of Dembélé without Momentum Dribbling is still very good. Dembélé himself just has a great feel on the ball. Now that he has an added Phenomenal Finishing skill, his finishing ability is even stronger. And if you play well with Acceleration Burst, he's really a beast. It depends on whether you want a playmaking Dembélé or a finishing-focused Dembélé. "Some like carrots, some like cabbage; to each their own." There is no single right answer.

In-Game Gameplay—

https://reddit.com/link/1t883lv/video/yyb8fv5or40h1/player

https://preview.redd.it/ud3zhyknr40h1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=744df85e24d93d2c47c622d40a48885e8abae6ac

Pro Group: Dembélé ranked #7 (Not as good as Ballon d'Or Dembélé)

Option	Count	Percentage
Top 3	2	15.38%
Top 5 (and better than Momentum Dribbling Dembélé)	2	15.38%
Top 5 (but not as good as Momentum Dribbling Dembélé)	6	46.15%
Top 10	1	7.69%
Pass / Abstain	1	7.69%
(Blank)	1	7.69%
Number of valid responses	13

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/bEz5EjvP060O0oLM9wmxtQ

https://preview.redd.it/bdgfyyj6o40h1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7891a6284a87c2fa0c9ac1550e9e2658844e0e68

Bruno Fernandes has been out for five days (coming to the Chinese server later), and he has now entered the dual-group rating phase.

After playing with him for five days, I've managed to get a few nice highlight clips of Bruno's chip passes and long-range assists. But aside from that, there hasn't been much of a standout performance. I estimate that by next week, not many people will be using him anymore. However, he can still compete for a spot in the Top 10 for AMFs.

Pro Player Group Comments:

No.	Comment Text
2	A good passer, but lacks the ability to create on his own. His ceiling isn't very high.
6	Decent in a two-AMF setup. His pass trajectory has a noticeable curve. A sentimental card.
9	He has a certain level of strength in a 4-2-2-2, but he still has a hard time making it into an end-game squad.

In-Game Gameplay—

https://reddit.com/link/1t87ldg/video/hhrwlc35o40h1/player

https://preview.redd.it/fmy8i4g4o40h1.jpg?width=801&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41ced48d0640a7d37530aa9f318a61f6f319c28d

Also, the evaluation of the new Vinícius Júnior is worth discussing. At first, it was thought that his Medium weak foot would be a major negative, but the new version's advantage lies in having the Prolific Winger playstyle and a powerful Blitz Curler. Now that Blitz Curlers have returned to a strong period in the meta, especially for a wide player who now has the option to either break through or use a Blitz Curler, it's quite interesting.

Pro Player Group Comments:

No.	Comment Text (for Vini Jr.)
2	His versatility is not as good as the last one, and his all-around passing and shooting are also slightly worse.
9	The change to the Prolific Winger playstyle + Blitz Curler in exchange for a worse weak foot is worth it. He's completely outclassed in other positions.

The LWF/RWF & LMF/RMF are niche positions. When there are many players to rate, we don't open a public vote, so we are publishing the pro player group's opinion results.

New Vinícius Júnior (LWF/RWF): Pro Rank #8 (Powercreeps the old card)

Option	Count	Percentage
Top 3	0	0%
Top 5 (i.e., better than the old version)	6	46.15%
Top 10 (i.e., worse than the old version)	3	23.08%
Pass / Abstain	3	23.08%
(Blank)	1	7.69%
Number of valid responses	13

New Vinícius Júnior (LMF/RMF): Pro Rank #11 (Powercreeps the old card)

Option	Count	Percentage
Top 5	1	7.69%
Top 10 and better than the old version	4	30.77%
Top 10 but not as good as the old version	3	23.08%
Not in the Top 10	1	7.69%
Pass / Abstain	3	23.08%
(Blank)	1	7.69%
Number of valid responses	13

Bruno Fernandes (AMF): Pro Rank #13 (Just makes it into the Top 10 tier)

Option	Count	Percentage
Top 5	0	0%
Top 10	7	53.85%
Top 15	4	30.77%
Worse than the above	1	7.69%
Pass / Abstain	0	0%
(Blank)	1	7.69%
Number of valid responses	13

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/DJB-mhK6gAcoS4rK5bQNAQ

https://preview.redd.it/4x1dqfjdc40h1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a056c9735cd44506910053fe751ecf3cf84b1911

⚽️ Rating: SS/AMF T0.5 (Raúl T0, Showtime Griezmann T0.5 is very reasonable)

⚽️ Griezmann: 5-4-8-11-11-2-0 + Striker's Instinct 

Added Skills: Outside Curler, Long-range Shooting

Highlights:

1️⃣ Super-high Offensive Awareness and super-high Acceleration, combined with the space-finding AI of a Dummy Runner, makes him very interesting to play with. He often makes diagonal runs that creates some open space.

2️⃣ Visionary Pass + Low Screamer, combined with the above stat panel, truly achieves a balance between passing and shooting.

3️⃣ Compared to the old Big Time Griezmann, his Physical Contact is thankfully +13 and his Kicking Power is +5, making him a better fit for the current version of the game.

Considering that he won't often be making long, straight-line sprints, a Speed of 88 is acceptable. As such, I added fewer points to the speed progression group, and his Stamina doesn’t hit 87. His progression points are still tight, and besides, this card is more of a surprise weapon; he doesn't necessarily have to be a starter for the full 90 minutes.

The Dummy Runner playstyle loves to make diagonal runs and will often drift into the half-space to play a pass. He plays a bit like a supporting player, so I've given a balanced build to both his passing and shooting.

In-Game Gameplay—

https://reddit.com/link/1t85yi6/video/1ip6v7tlc40h1/player

Compared to other Dummy Runners:

1️⃣ vs. Fermín López — His advantage is +8 Offensive Awareness, which allows him to better leverage the elusive, surprising runs of a Dummy Runner.

2️⃣ vs. Raúl — Raúl has +1 Offensive Awareness, +6 Speed, +2 Acceleration, +5 Stamina, and a better weak foot. Griezmann really can't find any significant advantages here 😅. Having Visionary Pass allows him to act as a supporting player and play a few chip passes, I guess.

Special thanks for this post to: CNFC-Yuanfang de Xianyu, for providing opinions and help. You can also follow him on Pingqiu (大众评球)—

https://preview.redd.it/29dxjt8oc40h1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0a57dd1aad4b5f5945f7f9f09b32d2c5c486a26f

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/3NCTKWqT9JJVUgkvDyuWtg

https://preview.redd.it/ks72yuzabxzg1.jpg?width=987&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fde2141b473df9c60fd967344c91f2bd9b2bfb03

https://preview.redd.it/rzgd9cebbxzg1.jpg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bdbd9526e8bcd63e3d1aff4a75446a0d3f3545be

To test how much Defensive Awareness GK Directing Defence adds, my test method is:

https://i.redd.it/fu5tmq5cbxzg1.gif

Use an attacking corner to create a stable initial state. At this moment, the defending player (red circle ⬆️) will be in a fixed position. After the ball is played, I then control him to sprint forward. The position he is in clearly belongs to the "deep in your own territory" zone.

Because Defensive Awareness affects Acceleration below a certain threshold, and because Acceleration below 88 also causes a player's running animation to change as it decreases, by comparing the running animations, we can know if the Defensive Awareness has been changed.

First, let's verify the stability of this test method:

https://i.redd.it/ox5d3cbebxzg1.gif

Absolutely perfect! The influence of randomness has been eliminated.

Now, let's see if this scenario can reflect a difference in Defensive Awareness:

https://i.redd.it/4tv3a20gbxzg1.gif

Excellent! The change in Defensive Awareness is clearly presented in the difference between the running animations.

Below, we'll start the test, comparing with and without GK Directing Defence.

https://preview.redd.it/on4d08mhbxzg1.jpg?width=1020&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=333bca21bfbaf2a7fdaa3372b3d305e85c08decf

https://i.redd.it/ofwh7ntibxzg1.gif

So, is it possible that GK Directing Defence adds a very small amount of Defensive Awareness, say just +1, and is therefore impossible to observe through testing? Let's look at the comparison below—

https://i.redd.it/oif4ebblbxzg1.gif

Even a 1-point difference in Defensive Awareness can be tested in this experiment.

Then there is only one answer: GK Directing Defence does not boost Defensive Awareness. The “improves the defensive abilities” in the official description should be referring to a negligible increase to the Tackling stat.

So, what a goalkeeper can direct is not the positioning of the defensive line, but their tackling actions 😅.

After revealing the mechanism of GK Directing Defence, has your evaluation of this skill changed?

(Translator TL;DR: Despite the official description, the Showtime skill GK Directing Defence does not boost the Defensive Awareness or positioning of your defenders. It appears to only provide a very minor, almost unnoticeable boost to their Tackling stat.)

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/BfwmlECpbJx6dIDFUbGqUQ

View Poll

https://preview.redd.it/pqh9fp66sizg1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b54a74929b0f4e6a228888fe1ef7e40f405e6172

With the release of this Monday's Season's Best Attackers pack on the international server, it means the game has entered the stage of various End-of-Season Best BT packs. A friend asked, what is the quality of these end-of-season packs, and will they be easily power-crept in the new season?

Today, let's take a look back at the various End-of-Season Best BT packs from last year. The last pack of the season should be the one with the highest popularity—

I. Squad Pillars 24-25 Season's Best

https://preview.redd.it/jhz7gzv7sizg1.jpg?width=948&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce2e0cd28abe3de95f4f7d77630103ca46cbc083

This pack was deeply impressive. My headline at the time was, "If you don't pull this pack, what are you even pulling?" Because the quality was truly too high: Van Dijk was a T0 Top 3 CB (at the time), Hole Player Bellingham was the T0 #1 CMF, and Visionary Pass de Jong was also a T0 Top 5 CMF.

A trio of superstars in one pack, even stronger than some 250-player packs!

II. Italian League Season's Best

https://preview.redd.it/vyzjpvj9sizg1.jpg?width=926&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0dff3d4e553f05210a79e3a81177ceb389194145

For leagues with less viewership like Serie A, it's easy for them to use the Season's Best theme to release some cards that have unique characteristics (like height) but have always had underwhelming stat panels. The 193cm Box-to-Box midfielder McTominay with Phenomenal Passing was extremely perfect, and was only recently power-crept out of the T0 Top 5.

And then there's the #1 GK I've been hyping, Savić. At 202cm with 11 shoulder width, 8 arm length, and 13 leg length, he is still one of the Top 3 GKs to this day.

III. Spanish League Season's Best

https://preview.redd.it/4oh4iqbbsizg1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a8d5903544e355f1ace2be8415fd6ac8add69a49

The #1 ball-carrying midfielder at the time, BT Pedri, and Phenomenal Finishing Mbappé. A year later, these two are still in the T0 Top 5!

IV. European Clubs Season's Best

https://preview.redd.it/utgvjzddsizg1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3751bfd5054d44630fe30f3298437c7b153a9016

Kvaratskhelia, with his unique large-model Blitz Curler winger profile, won the affection of some players. He is still a Top 10 winger today.

V. European Club Championship Season's Best

https://preview.redd.it/y7qt7n4fsizg1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1beed987f6d53a673a2491883cb52bcbc559a42b

The Dembélé from this pack was likely a case of them deliberately holding back for the Ballon d'Or version. The overall quality of the pack was average.

VI. English League Season's Best

https://preview.redd.it/4j7mczmgsizg1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aaea406c61ffb6851b835c80d3e83961045acda2

Salah's winger attributes don't fit well with the majority of players who don't use wingers. Gabriel was at the bottom of the Top 10 for CBs for a while. Gravenberch was a rare large-model midfielder with Long-reach Tackle at the time, but his stat panel was mediocre.

VII. Big Time & Show Time Portugal (Nations League)

https://preview.redd.it/ei922dnlsizg1.jpg?width=984&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7f2d5e9efb0ccfe3472eb7ad34ef9f18e35ef03

In an era before the 196cm defenders had arrived, BT Ronaldo was the #1 player for combining ground and air duels. A year later, he was only just power-crept out of the Top 5. Vitinha has a great on-the-ball feel. Mendes is also an excellent pacey tank, and is still a T0 Top 10 attacking full-back to this day (though maybe not after tonight).

https://preview.redd.it/do0tmr2nsizg1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=acc779621d1d25cca0e95e2fcc8b019b54f12f4d

The quality of this pack is pretty average. Palmer's player model isn't a great fit for a ball-carrier, and Marquinhos is classically weak no matter what kind of card they release.

https://preview.redd.it/8uy7d44osizg1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=c68a5ad43963d603bd9580ef0a4a55b79cf8beda

There's also Lamine Yamal's Season's Best Breakout Stars.

Conclusion: The game's developers are always looking for opportunities to release powerful cards for popular players (as releasing an artificially overpowered 'lab-grown' player is likely to get them roasted hard by the players). Therefore, the Season's Best packs are actually a time when new cards are often very strong. However, this also depends on the player's own characteristics. Some players, like Marquinhos, are weak no matter how they release him, so even putting him in a Season's Best pack would be in vain.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/B_NDx7iDUrsTk-S82yAiZQ

The reward for reaching the Top 1,000,000 on the international server this season (Top 100,000 on PC/console) is Showtime Timber. He can play at LB, CB, and RB. His Showtime skill is Fortress, his model is 179cm/11 leg length, and his stat panel is quite good. There are two build styles you can use:

I. The Deep-Sitting Build (0-0-1-8-10-8-11 + Defending)

https://preview.redd.it/lnpcgfkotbzg1.jpg?width=1221&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64d4adb9434a7489ac43bd779087af5905899e6b

93 in the four defensive stats and 90 Physical Contact meet my requirements for a deep-sitting full-back on the flanks. His 89 Jump is excellent, and what I appreciate most is his high base Acceleration. With 90/94 Speed/Acceleration, he is very well-suited to the current engine's 3-turf-grid off-the-ball acceleration phase; most of the time, Acceleration is more important than Speed.

As a pure deep-sitting defender, how good can Timber actually be? To be honest, not that great. Compared to the benchmark for defensive full-backs, the various versions of Thuram, you will find that any double-boosted Thuram card can dominate Timber in the four defensive stats (with the same build philosophy). Timber's base stats destine him to be unable to reach 95 in any of the four defensive stats.

https://preview.redd.it/0jsjs8iutbzg1.jpg?width=2089&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=62f18c834f6b3dcbce72e16a5a4f98f8af9b56cc

For a pure deep-sitting role, Timber's stat panel is only on par with the single-boosted Thuram, and his model is slightly inferior. He doesn't get to leverage his huge advantage in the three core dribbling stats—

https://preview.redd.it/s5k625uvtbzg1.jpg?width=2151&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a4f292ad8708e9300c26764a77fc288dc156f7ef

Therefore, for a player like Timber, we can specialize him in another ecological niche: the Inverted Full-Back—

II. The Inverted Full-Back Build (0-3-4-8-10-8-9 + Defending)

https://preview.redd.it/w4d5l7bytbzg1.jpg?width=1228&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e3242f9fa44c152d14e3a664752be39a60fd4c8b

This ecological niche was brought into the meta by Panucci. As a defensively solid Offensive Full-back, you shouldn't give him the Defensive instruction. In this case, under the Long Ball Counter tactic, as long as you don't intentionally make him overlap, his area of activity won't be too far forward. Instead, he will operate in the wide CB position on your side of the pitch, doing some ball retention and simple passing and moving.

Compared to Panucci, Timber has the advantage of more delicate on-the-ball play. Overall, their stat panels are on par. Timber loses out on model size and leg coverage (which is, of course, crucial for defending), so Panucci is in the Top 5, while Timber can objectively only be considered a standard T0.

https://preview.redd.it/5cuuzg61ubzg1.jpg?width=2121&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa4d4d591efe2b24dd7970de5cf03c93d1da2317

However, as a free card, this Showtime Timber is already top-tier among rewards. Just like Tonali and Fermín (who are both top-tier ST reward cards), he allows you to experience the inverted full-back niche. He's truly a must-get.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Plvt8FoLcsZe1EIdL1PXYA

https://preview.redd.it/l1qeewvn06zg1.jpg?width=2042&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=803320fdb196a1da0efeb4073eaf55636f7af63c

⚽️ Rating: CF T0 Top 5

⚽️ Dembélé: 4-0-9-12-9-4-0 + Agility

Added Skills: One-touch Pass, Outside Curler, Long-range Shooting, Heading

Compared to the Ballon d'Or Momentum Dribbling Dembélé, this Showtime Dembélé card has +2 Physical Contact and Tight Possession. These two stats are quite key, so you could say the stat panel is a minor power-creep. However, the Showtime skill is no longer Momentum Dribbling, which does still have an impact on his strength.

The value of the Acceleration Burst skill that this card carries depends on whether you like to use this skill. The latest engine has indeed buffed Acceleration Burst, but its reputation is still a point of contention. As it is an active skill, if you don't use it, it's a complete waste. There are some examples of Acceleration Burst in the gameplay video, which you can refer to—

https://reddit.com/link/1t3qkag/video/aqd3wz8u06zg1/player

My overall experience, in short, comes down to two points—

1️⃣ His on-the-ball feel is not as good as the Momentum Dribbling Ballon d'Or Dembélé, and his overall strength is also slightly inferior to the Ballon d'Or Dembélé.

2️⃣ But at the end of the day, he's still Dembélé. His on-the-ball feel is still amazing, and still better than Mbappé's.

How far can he powercreep?

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/yolz4jRJIp2n0r0S6IIzZQ

View Poll

https://preview.redd.it/893oc6308yyg1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ad918f21f4ccd1460b4a3b3c99f880405b3044e

In the international server's 5.4.0 version (the next version for the Chinese server), the chip shot has been massively buffed. Combined with the fact that close-range shots are harder to score in the new version, learning to use a chip shot in one-on-one situations has become very necessary.

Today, I'm answering a question: in the current version, to use one-on-one chip shots well, is it necessary to add the Chip Shot Control skill?

First, the mechanism of the Chip Shot Control skill, as indicated by testing in the 2025 version, is that it is a trajectory-modifying skill. The trajectory of a chip shot from a player without the skill was basically unusable—

https://i.redd.it/qpcscqh48yyg1.gif

(Left: Without Chip Shot Control, Right: With Chip Shot Control [Testing from the 2025 version])

Now, let's take a look at the test from the latest version—

https://i.redd.it/fkl3hbc68yyg1.gif

(Top: With Chip Shot Control, Bottom: Without Chip Shot Control [Testing from the 5.4.0 version])

⬆️ With or without the Chip Shot Control skill, the trajectory is almost identical! There is absolutely no need to add this skill.

This is actually a common practice for the game when they want to buff a certain mechanic. It's like how in a previous version, they buffed the Marseille Turn—at the time, the turn was very effective whether you had the skill or not. But in the 5.4.0 version, they've nerfed the Marseille Turn. Not only is the turning angle smaller for players who have the skill, but now if you try to force it without the skill, the animation will be very clumsy.

So, the current phase is what I'd call a "chip shot promotional trial period." Whether you have the skill or not, you can enjoy the best possible trajectory effect.

Below is my latest guide to using chip shots (The trick: aim for the far post to maximize the effect)—

https://reddit.com/link/1t2q32f/video/ezr7tmpd8yyg1/player

Addendum: If you observe the example video in my post, you'll notice that with the current one-on-one chip shot, the goalkeeper's reaction is now a mechanic-driven collapse, giving them little to no chance to jump and claim the ball.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ndcFi6o6fmgyrl4e88cZJw

https://preview.redd.it/fo3b98d00yyg1.jpg?width=2016&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4bc653cd6364aa4569f5bb9751e70d874dad85db

​​⚽️ Rating: CF T0

⚽️ Acceleration Burst Aubameyang: 7-0-8-12-8-4-0 + Striker's Instinct 

Added Skills: Double Touch, Outside Curler, Through Passing, Long-range Shooting, One-touch Pass

In my initial review, I thought he had no physicality, no jump, and no dribbling stats. But after actually trying him out, he still has his own unique ecological niche. Although this pack definitely isn't worth pulling for him alone, if you happened to get him along the way, he's worth giving a try.

https://reddit.com/link/1t2oxdx/video/ah6658c60yyg1/player

His (187cm/11 leg length) unique ecological niche is this: a large-model Goal Poacher pace merchant, and his Offensive Awareness reaches 99. A large model gives him irreplaceable advantages in shielding and leg coverage. If you like simple, mindless through balls, and then having a long-legged, large-model player shield his position and knock the ball into the net, then this Aubameyang is truly irreplaceable.

You can understand him with a few descriptions—a Goal Poacher version of a "Glass Cannon Leão," a larger-sized Inzaghi, a less-polished version of Henry.

By the way, the game is indeed quite stingy with the stats it gives to forwards in this 187-190cm height range. Van Basten, Gyökeres, Marcus Thuram, and Aubameyang are all like this.

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/QrsDVRxJRmGEu51-SY_mVQ

eFootball x Naruto is live, and Naruto fans are thrilled. But what about the JoJo fans? Over the past two days, the senior JoJo fan CNFC-S-B-R and I have carefully conceived a hypothetical JoJo collaboration, and I feel it's no worse than the Naruto one~

https://preview.redd.it/ke6quo9vliyg1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9b121111825f3a5ec98c7521eac45a6a723bfc09

I. The World x C. Ronaldo

https://preview.redd.it/kixhgnzvliyg1.jpg?width=1052&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7ad7dbbffdb73f8d241716b41a6c75e05d91b689

Collaboration Elements: C. Ronaldo and The World are a great match. His hang-time on headers, his imperious goal celebration—they all have that DIO feeling of "I am the one in control" (even that arrogant and conceited attitude is very similar!).

When C. Ronaldo jumps for a header, there's a visual effect of time seemingly stopping for a moment, and the defenders can only watch as he completes the finish.

Power-creep points: Height changed to 189cm (official Portugal national team data), and both Jump and Heading are 105—this JoJo collaboration card means we are officially entering the dual 105 stats era.

II. Made in Heaven x Mbappé

https://preview.redd.it/3tdjn1yxliyg1.jpg?width=1047&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=afb02ac2c5dfec7627c78c9b834c61d653b67b71

Collaboration Elements: The most Made in Heaven-like thing about Mbappé is his initial burst of speed and the oppressive feeling he creates after reaching top speed.

Power-creep points: Dual 105 Speed/Acceleration, with the game-breaking ST skill combination of Momentum Dribbling + Magnetic Feet.

III. Star Platinum x Gullit

https://preview.redd.it/chca1xpzliyg1.jpg?width=1050&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ca37300d1c310ecb8502e770a23f4f0a441a84e2

Collaboration Elements: Star Platinum is famous in JoJo for his hexagonal stat chart, and Gullit is also a hexagonal stat chart monster (has good stats everywhere!). Also, the combination of dark skin + curly hair + muscular build... when I look at Star Platinum, I really feel he looks a lot like Gullit.

Power-creep points: Dual 105 Kicking Power and Physical Contact. This is the power of Star Platinum!

Do you think there are any other characters who could have a "fateful" collaboration with a certain football star?

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/UT9tVuGB8pSitIxxNVm4xg

View Poll