EA Sports has released the 92-rated Time Warp Icon Roberto Baggio Squad Building Challenge (SBC) in FC 26 Ultimate Team. This release offers players a chance to add the “Divine Ponytail” to their squads with a twist on his traditional stats. However, the community is divided on whether the Italian legend justifies the price tag given specific limitations in his card design.
This review analyzes Baggio’s in-game performance, his fit within the current meta, and whether you should commit your fodder to this challenge. We break down the strange formatting of the card and why his PlayStyles might be the only thing saving him from obscurity.
The Positioning Problem
The most immediate issue with this Time Warp Icon Baggio is the lack of position flexibility. EA has omitted the CAM position change. This decision confuses many players because Baggio is historically known as a quintessential number 10.
Without the ability to start him centrally, squad building becomes restrictive. You are forced to deploy him as a winger. While he possesses the Inside Forward++ Role, this forces a specific tactical setup.
Current defensive AI in FC 26 is strong. To break it down, the meta relies heavily on players operating on the side opposite their strong foot. You need a right-footed player on the left wing to cut inside. Baggio fits this criteria, but the inability to start him at CAM prevents players from utilizing formations like the 4-2-3-1 without complex in-game switching.
Stats Analysis: The “Thick” Feel
On paper, Baggio looks technically gifted. In the engine, things feel different. The card comes with 82 Agility and 82 Balance. For a player of his stature, this is underwhelming.
Unlike smaller icons such as Gianfranco Zola, who feel nimble regardless of stats, Baggio suffers from a unique body type that feels “thick” in-game. This heaviness affects his left-stick dribbling responsiveness. He does not glide past defenders as easily as his 5-star skills would suggest.
Shot Power and Animations
Another statistical concern is his Shot Power. It is noticeably low for this stage of the game cycle. This deficiency leads to inconsistent shooting animations. Under pressure, Baggio’s shots can sometimes turn into “floaters” that lack the velocity to beat top-tier goalkeepers.
This issue is compounded by his 85 Composure. While not terrible, it is not elite. When you combine average Composure with low Shot Power and average Balance, Baggio can struggle to register clean strikes when a defender is jostling him.
The Saving Grace: PlayStyles
Despite the physical and positional limitations, this card remains highly usable for one reason: PlayStyles.
EA has equipped Time Warp Baggio with 
Finesse Shot+ and First Touch. In the current FC 26 meta, these are two of the most effective tools for scoring.
If you utilize Baggio on the Left Wing, the gameplay loop becomes simple yet effective:
- Receive the ball with the First Touch PlayStyle.
- Cut inside onto his right foot.
- Trigger the Finesse Shot.
Even with his “weird” formatting and body type, the Finesse Shot+ ensures he finds the back of the net. During testing, the card managed a high goal-return ratio simply by abusing this specific mechanic. The 5-star skill moves also allow for reverse elasticos and other technical moves to create the necessary yard of space to shoot.
Chemistry Styles and Setup
Optimizing Baggio is a dilemma. You are caught between fixing his pace or fixing his shooting mechanics.
Hunter: This is the most common choice. It boosts his Pace and Shooting creates a more dangerous winger. However, it leaves his Agility and Balance untouched, meaning the “clunky” feeling remains.
Deadeye: This boosts Shot Power and Positioning, which helps mitigate the “floating” shot animations. However, you lose the pace boost necessary to beat full-backs down the line.
Engine: While this improves dribbling, it does not boost Agility and Balance enough to completely override his body type, and it sacrifices the necessary shooting boosts.
Most players will likely settle on a Hunter simply to keep him competitive against fast defensive lines, accepting that his shooting requires specific angles to be effective.
Is He Worth Completing?
This SBC represents a strange choice by the developers. It feels like a card that requires Evolution upgrades to truly fit the power curve. The stats and positioning are formatted awkwardly, almost as if to prevent him from being “too good.”
He is not a complete attacker. He cannot power through defenses like physically dominant strikers, nor can he weave through traffic like the most agile wingers.
However, he is a goal scorer. If your playstyle relies heavily on cutting inside and finesse shooting, Baggio will deliver. He occupies defenders well and his AI movement in the Inside Forward role is intelligent enough to create space for others.
FUTFC.gg Verdict
Roberto Baggio’s Time Warp Icon card is a mixture of nostalgia and frustration. The lack of a CAM position is a major oversight that hurts squad flexibility. His body type and low Shot Power make him feel inconsistent in open play.
Yet, the combination of 5-star skills and Finesse Shot+ ensures he remains a threat. He will score goals, but he will not feel “elite” on the ball while doing it.
FUTFC Rating: 3.5/5 Stars A usable winger carried by meta PlayStyles, but held back by clunky dribbling mechanics and poor position flexibility.
