Last updated: June 2026
Quick Answer
The Greats of the Game squad is clearly built for millionaires, with cards like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Maldini sitting at the top of the promo.
But this review is not about the obvious luxury picks.
Everyone already knows that 97-rated Ronaldo or 97-rated Maldini will be elite in-game. The more interesting question is: which cheaper Greats of the Game cards are actually worth trying?
After testing several options, the best value picks are Toni Kroos, Roberto Carlos, Ronald Koeman, Miroslav Klose, John Barnes, David Beckham, and Oliver Kahn — with Kroos and Roberto Carlos standing out the most.
Toni Kroos Review – The Best Value Midfielder?
Toni Kroos has always had one of those player models that feels better in-game than some people expect.
This Greats of the Game version immediately caught my attention because of his stats and PlayStyles. After looking at the card, I genuinely felt like I had no excuse not to try him.
And honestly, he did not disappoint.
Key PlayStyles
• Intercept+
• Anticipate+
• Tiki Taka+
• Incisive Pass
This is exactly the kind of PlayStyle setup you want on a central midfielder.
Intercept+ and Anticipate+ make him very reliable when defending passing lanes. Tiki Taka+ makes short combinations feel clean and automatic. Incisive Pass being only silver is slightly disappointing, because a gold version would have made the card even more special.
But even without Incisive Pass+, Kroos feels extremely complete.
In-Game Feel
Kroos is not the type of midfielder who wins games through raw pace. His value comes from positioning, passing, interceptions, and control.
He feels perfect as a:
• CM
• CDM in a two-man midfield
• Deep playmaker
• Balanced central midfielder
• For the price, this card is close to ideal.
He reads the game well, passes beautifully, and gives you that calm feeling in midfield where you do not need to rush every action.
Verdict on Kroos
Kroos is one of the easiest recommendations from this promo if you need a reliable central midfielder.
He is not a flashy attacker, but as a gameplay card, he makes a lot of sense.
Rating: 9/10
Best role: CM / Deep Playmaker
Recommendation: Strong buy for the price.
Roberto Carlos Review – Still an Elite Left Back?
The next card that immediately caught my attention was Roberto Carlos.
A Roberto Carlos card with 5★ Weak Foot is always interesting. Add 4★ Skills, a very nice body type, strong pace, and huge stamina, and you already have a very playable fullback.
Key Strengths
• 5★ Weak Foot
• 4★ Skill Moves
• Great attacking movement
• 98 Stamina
• Can cover the entire left flank
• Very enjoyable player model
• The only real disappointment is the lack of Anticipate.
For a left back at this stage of the game, even silver Anticipate would have made him feel safer defensively.
In-Game Feel
Carlos is still excellent as an attacking LB.
His 98 stamina is a huge part of what makes the card work. He can overlap, recover, press, and keep running for the full match.
This makes him especially useful if you like your fullbacks to join the attack.
He is not just a stay-back defender. He is a left-side engine.
Best Role
Roberto Carlos works best as:
• LB
• Attacking LB
• Wing-back
• Overlapping fullback
If you manually defend well and do not rely only on defensive PlayStyles, he can be a very strong option.
Verdict on Roberto Carlos
Roberto Carlos is not flawless defensively, but he is extremely fun and very effective if you use your fullbacks aggressively.
Rating: 8.8/10
Best role: Attacking LB
Recommendation: Buy if you want a fullback who can run the entire left side.
Chiellini vs Koeman – Who Is Better Value?
This was one of the more surprising comparisons.
On paper, Giorgio Chiellini looks like the safer defensive choice. He has the kind of profile that should dominate physically and defensively.
But in-game, Ronald Koeman stood out more.
Chiellini Review
Chiellini looks strong because of his defensive PlayStyles.
The issue is that his Block+ did not really activate or stand out during testing. That was disappointing, because this is exactly the kind of PlayStyle you expect to feel on a centre-back.
He is not bad, but he did not feel special enough.
Koeman Review
Koeman was much more noticeable.
The main reason is Bruiser+.
That PlayStyle made him feel stronger in duels, more aggressive, and more present in physical situations.
Even though Chiellini may look better defensively on paper, Koeman simply had more impact during matches.
Value Comparison
At the time of writing, Koeman was significantly cheaper than Chiellini — almost around half the price.
That makes the value argument very simple.
If you are choosing between the two, Koeman is the better buy.
However, there is one important point: if you already have a strong free Vidic card, he may still be better than both.
Verdict: Chiellini vs Koeman
Koeman wins the value battle.
Chiellini is decent, but Koeman feels better for the price.
Koeman Rating: 8.4/10
Chiellini Rating: 7.7/10
Recommendation: Choose Koeman if you need a budget icon centre-back.
Oliver Kahn Review – A Fun Goalkeeper Pick
Goalkeepers are always difficult to review because they can feel different from match to match.
Still, Oliver Kahn was a pleasant surprise.
If you are buying him because you like the player or want to try something different, he is absolutely usable.
In-Game Feel
Kahn felt:
• agile
• sharp on reactions
• strong when jumping
• reliable enough overall
He is not a goalkeeper that will magically save everything, but he also will not ruin your matches.
That is usually what you want from a keeper.
Verdict on Kahn
Kahn is not a must-buy, but he is a fun and safe option if you personally like him.
Rating: 8/10
Best role: Starting GK for fun squads or icon links
Recommendation: Try him if you like Oliver Kahn. He will not hurt your team.
Miroslav Klose Review – Better Than Expected for 15k
Klose was one of the biggest surprises of this testing session.
At the time of writing, he was around 15k, and for that price, he absolutely did the job.
Key Strengths
• Good finishing
• Finesse shots feel strong
• Runs better than expected
• Useful gold PlayStyles
• Low Driven Shot
• Technical
• The biggest downside is the star combination.
4★ Skill Moves and 4★ Weak Foot are not ideal at this stage of FC 26, especially when many attackers now have 5★/5★.
But for the price, it is hard to complain too much.
In-Game Feel
Klose is not a meta monster, but he feels like a proper striker.
His finesse shots are reliable, his movement is decent, and he can finish chances well enough to justify the cost.
For 15k, that is already a win.
Verdict on Klose
Klose is a very good budget striker if you want to try an icon without spending much.
Rating: 8.2/10
Best role: ST
Recommendation: Great cheap striker option, especially for casual squads or icon-themed teams.
John Barnes Review – Cheap, Strong, But Not Perfect
John Barnes is another card that deserves attention because of the price.
At the time of writing, he was around 15,250 coins, and for that amount, the card is definitely not bad.
Key Stats
• 94 Pace
• 92 Shooting
• 94 Dribbling
• 90 Physical
• 5★ Skill Moves
• 4★ Weak Foot
Key PlayStyles
• Technical+
• Rapid+
• Finesse Shot
• Several useful silver PlayStyles
• The card has a lot going for it.
• Technical+ and Rapid+ are both very valuable for a wide player. His pace, dribbling, and physicality are all strong enough to make him usable.
Main Weakness
The main issue is that Barnes is left-footed, has Finesse Shot, but only 4★ Weak Foot.
That means some shooting angles can feel awkward depending on which side you play him on.
It is not a huge problem for a cheap card, but it does limit his ceiling.
Verdict on Barnes
Barnes is a solid cheap winger.
He is not elite, but for the price, he is more than usable.
Rating: 8.1/10
Best role: LW / LM
Recommendation: Buy if you need a cheap wide player with pace, skills, and physicality.
David Beckham Review – Do Not Use Him as a Pure Winger
David Beckham is one of the most interesting cards in this group.
At first, I did not understand why a card with his stats and PlayStyles was positioned as a wide midfielder.
After playing a few matches, the answer became clear: he is not really fast enough to feel elite out wide.
The Problem With Beckham at RM/RW
93 Pace is not terrible, but at this stage of FC 26, it is not enough for a wide player unless the card has something truly explosive in-game.
Beckham does not feel bad, but he also does not feel like the type of winger who constantly beats fullbacks with speed.
Why Beckham Is Better at CM
As a central midfielder, Beckham makes much more sense.
He has exactly the PlayStyles you want in midfield:
• Pinged Pass
• Incisive Pass
That combination is extremely useful for a CM.
He can switch play, find runners, and deliver dangerous forward passes much more naturally from central areas than from the wing.
Best Role
Beckham should be used as:
• CM
• Wide CM
• Passing-focused midfielder
• Playmaking super sub
Forcing him to play RM or RW wastes too much of what makes the card interesting.
Verdict on Beckham
Beckham is not a bad card, but his best role is not the one EA highlights.
Use him centrally and he becomes much more valuable.
Rating: 8.3/10
Best role: CM
Recommendation: Buy only if you plan to use him as a midfielder, not as a pure winger.
Final Verdict
Greats of the Game may look like a millionaire promo at first glance, but there are some genuinely interesting value cards below the luxury tier.
Toni Kroos is the best overall pick for me. His combination of Intercept+, Anticipate+, and Tiki Taka+ makes him a brilliant midfield option for the price.
Roberto Carlos is still a fantastic attacking left back, especially with 98 stamina and a model that feels very smooth in-game.
Koeman beats Chiellini for value because Bruiser+ had a much more visible impact than Chiellini’s defensive traits during testing.
Klose and Barnes are both good cheap cards, while Beckham becomes interesting only when moved into central midfield.
Kahn is usable and fun, but not a must-buy.
• Best Buy: Toni Kroos
• Best Fullback: Roberto Carlos
• Best Budget CB: Ronald Koeman
• Best Cheap Attacker: Miroslav Klose
• Most Misused Card: David Beckham
If you are building your Ultimate Team carefully, do not just chase the biggest names. Some of the best value in Greats of the Game comes from the cheaper icons that actually fit your squad and playstyle.
Before making expensive upgrades, check the current FC 26 coins market and compare prices carefully so you do not overpay for hype.
