Last season ended with Lisbon on top and Porto and Braga scrapping for every point behind. The new campaign has already thrown up fresh storylines and depth-chart changes, and EA’s FC 26 ratings reflect that shift. Established stars hold their ground, a couple of title-chasing cores get meaningful boosts, and there’s an influx of newcomers who immediately crack the league’s elite.
The biggest risers you’ll notice right away
- Francisco Trincão 78 → 82 (+4)
Back in rhythm and used in multiple forward roles, Trincão’s all-round profile finally looks like a genuine meta option. The jump in dribbling to 84 with balanced 80s across pace, shot and passing makes him a creator and finisher. - Morten Hjulmand 80 → 83 (+3)
One of the most complete DMs in the league gets the recognition. With 80 DEF and 84 PHY, plus tidy 78 passing, he’s now a plug-and-play anchor at CDM or CM. - Anatoliy Trubin 78 → 80 (+2)
Size, reactions, and kicking were already strong; consistency bumps him into the 80 club. At 6’6″ with 84 DIV/83 PHY-equivalents, he’s a premium keeper option.
- Ousmane Diomande 78 → 80 (+2)
A modern CB profile: 80 PAC, 79 DEF, 86 PHY and Lengthy. Exactly what you want against the league’s pacey widemen. - Vangelis Pavlidis 80 → 82 (+2)
Box menace status confirmed. 82 SHO, 82 PHY and 80 DRI make him the target man many squads were missing. - Gonçalo Inácio 80 → 81 (+1) and Nicolás Otamendi 81 → 82 (+1)
Different styles, same outcome: reliable upgrades for two center-backs on title-chasing back lines.
Trincão’s leap turns him from rotation piece to headline act
Trincão’s +4 is the story. He now blends 80 PAC, 84 DRI and 80 SHO with CAM/RW/RM/ST flexibility. That versatility mirrors his real usage: drifting inside, carrying through traffic, and linking with a nine. In FC 26 terms, he finally feels like a top-tier Liga Portugal attacker you can build around rather than a bench dribbler.
The biggest fallers you can’t ignore
- Pepê 82 → 78 (−4)
The headline drop. Once a creative heartbeat, his all-round card loses its bite. The 70 SHO and 58 PHY won’t suit everyone, and the 52 DEF limits fullback experiments. - Nuno Santos 80 → 79 (−1)
Still a useful LM/LB hybrid with 5★ WF, but the slight dip trims his margin over rival left-siders. - Alexander Bah 79 → 78 (−1)
Still rapid at 90 PAC with 81 PHY, but the downgrade nudges him from auto-include to “depends on your build.” - António Silva 79 → 78 (−1)
A small step back on paper. He keeps 80 PAC and balanced DEF/PHY, so he remains very usable.
Pepê’s slide is the shock: creator card loses its edge
Pepê dropping four points is the single most surprising call. Last year he thrived as a do-it-all attacker; this time his end product and physical profile are toned down. If you relied on him as a press-resistant outlet, you may need to pivot to Trincão or Pedro Gonçalves for top-end creation.
New faces crash the party and EA rates them boldly
- Dodi Lukébakio (82 RM/RW/ST) brings top-end 87 PAC, 83 DRI, 81 SHO. Instant vertical threat on the right and a handy secondary striker.
- Georgiy Sudakov (80 CAM/CM/CDM) is the elegant new playmaker type: 81 PAC, 78 PAS, 81 DRI, enough legs to play as an advanced eight.
- Richard Ríos (79 CM/CDM) is a two-way ball-winner with 82 PHY and 82 DRI at 6’2″.
- Alan Varela (79 CDM/CM) and Hidemasa Morita (79 CM/CDM, 5★ WF) deepen the “press, pass, repeat” midfield meta.
- Geny Catamo (78 RM/LM/CAM, 91 PAC) and Bruma (78 LW, 88 PAC) amp up the league’s pace tier on the wings.
- Zeno Debast (78 CDM/CB/CM) and Tomás Araújo (78 CB/RB) expand the young-ball-playing-CB pool.
- Daniel Bragança (78 CM) gives possession teams a neat left-foot hub.
- Francisco Moura (78 LB/LM) offers a balanced fullback profile.
- Samu Omorodion (79 ST, Lengthy) supplies size and runs in behind if you want pure No 9 presence.
Ratings that will split opinion
- Pedro Gonçalves staying 83 will please some and annoy others. He’s the same clever hybrid creator with 84 DRI and 83 PAS, now more CAM-centric.
- Diogo Costa holding at 84 keeps him at the summit among keepers.
- Gyökeres’ absence from the FC 26 league top 30 list is notable given his FC 25 high of 84. Whether due to database or competition changes, it’s a major omission on name value alone.
- Bah at 78 despite elite pace will feel stingy to players who rate his two-way game.
Full list: Liga Portugal best in FC 26
84 Diogo Costa (GK)
83 Hjulmand (CDM/CM)
83 Pedro Gonçalves (CAM/LM/CM)
82 Pavlidis (ST/CAM)
82 Trincão (CAM/RM/RW/ST)
82 Lukébakio (RM/RW/ST)
82 Otamendi (CB)
81 Ricardo Horta (CAM/LM/RM/CM)
81 Rui Silva (GK)
81 Gonçalo Inácio (CB)
81 Banza (ST)
80 Aursnes (CM/RB/RM/CAM)
80 Sudakov (CAM/CM/CDM)
80 Trubin (GK)
80 Diomande (CB)
79 Ríos (CM/CDM)
79 Zalazar (CAM/CM/RM)
79 Nuno Santos (LM/LB/LW)
79 Morita (CM/CDM)
79 Varela (CDM/CM)
79 Samu Omorodion (ST)
78 Bah (RB/RM)
78 Francisco Moura (LB/LM)
78 Geny Catamo (RM/LM/CAM/RW)
78 Daniel Bragança (CM/CDM/CAM)
78 Debast (CDM/CB/CM)
78 Pepê (CAM/RM/LM/CM)
78 Bruma (LW/LM/CAM)
78 Tomás Araújo (CB/RB)
78 António Silva (CB)
FAQ About Liga Portugal Ratings:
Why did Trincão receive the biggest upgrade?
He added end product and consistency to his on-ball quality, and in FC 26 that’s reflected by balanced 80s and a 84 dribbling base with four-star skills. He now fits both wide and central roles.
What happened to Pepê’s rating?
EA trimmed his end product and physicality, reshaping him from a jack-of-all-trades attacker into more of a technical CAM/RM. It’s the steepest drop among top names this year.
Who are the best value new cards?
Lukébakio for pure pace-and-goal threat, Sudakov for progressive passing from CAM/CM, and Catamo as a budget stretch-the-pitch winger. Debast is a smart pick if you want a young, mobile CDM/CB hybrid.
Which defenders look meta early on?
Diomande and Inácio for pace plus composure, Otamendi for leadership stats and duels, and Bah if you want a turbo right-back who can body up with 81 PHY.
Is Diogo Costa still the league’s No 1 goalkeeper in-game?
Yes. He remains at 84 with the same elite shot-stopping and distribution mix that made him the safest GK pick last cycle.
Why isn’t Gyökeres on this list after being 84 last year?
He simply isn’t in the FC 26 league top 30 you provided. That’s the most surprising omission compared to last year’s set.
Who has the most interesting weak foot or skill combo?
Morita offers a rare 5★ weak foot in CM, Nuno Santos also has 5★ WF from LM/LB, and Trincão’s 4★ skills with improved shooting make him an all-phase threat.
