Jamie Vardy SBC in FC 25: Is it worth the million-coin investment? ⇒ FUTFC

EA Sports has released a 95-rated End of an Era Jamie Vardy SBC in FC 25 Ultimate Team. While the card looks strong, its high cost and missing traits are sparking debate.

The End of an Era Vardy card splits the FC 25 community

EA Sports recently dropped a high-profile End of an Era Jamie Vardy SBC in FC 25 Ultimate Team, and it’s causing major debate among FUT players. On the surface, the card looks like everything a striker should be at this stage of the game. He has 99 pace, 95 shooting, a five-star weak foot, and traits like Power Shot and Driven Shot that fit the current meta. However, with a hefty price tag of nearly 1 million coins in fodder, and no built-in Finesse Shot, the value of this SBC is being questioned by the FUT community.

Top-rated reviewer Inception has weighed in with a full breakdown of the card in action, revealing both its strengths and its serious limitations. The biggest takeaway? Without the Finesse Shot playstyle or the right evolutions, this card is incomplete. For players trying to stay competitive in FUT Champs, Vardy may not offer the return you expect from such a large fodder investment.

Vardy’s stats and playstyles look great on paper

Vardy’s End of an Era card includes several playstyles that give him strong offensive potential. He comes with Quick Step, Power Shot and Driven Shot, all of which suit the current gameplay meta in FC 25. Quick Step allows him to get those small explosive bursts away from defenders, while Power Shot lets him strike from distance with serious velocity. His five-star weak foot adds to his threat level, making him lethal from both sides in the box.

EA also gave Vardy Technical, First Touch and Press Proven, which help his responsiveness in tight areas. These playstyles do help balance out the card’s otherwise inconsistent dribbling, especially in competitive matches. He can operate as a solid striker in formations like 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2, particularly when used as the main target man.

Finisher or Engine? Best chemistry style for Vardy

Inception tested both Finisher and Engine on Vardy to see which setup worked best. Finisher boosts his shooting and agility, which is ideal for scoring from tight angles. Engine, on the other hand, improves passing and balance, which is useful if you’re playing a more possession-based system.

Most players appear to be using Finisher, as the shooting boosts make him more dangerous in one-on-one scenarios. But without Finesse Shot, there’s a ceiling on his finishing ability from outside the box. If you want him to become truly meta, you’ll need to apply a Season Pass Evolution that adds Finesse Shot Plus. Without it, Vardy will struggle to score consistently from some of the key angles top players rely on.

Learn more about Jamie Vardy SBC in FC 25 from Inception FC on YouTube.

The real issue: No Finesse Shot and no Rapid

One of the biggest criticisms Inception had during his review was EA’s deliberate omission of Finesse Shot. In today’s FC 25 meta, Finesse Shot is almost required for elite-level strikers. It’s the trait that lets players curl the ball into the top corner from tight angles, especially against manual goalkeepers. Without it, Vardy’s ceiling is lower than it should be for a million-coin card.

Adding to the frustration is the lack of Rapid. While Vardy has Quick Step for small bursts, he doesn’t accelerate with the same explosiveness that players like Salah or Palmer do. This makes his dribbling and pace feel inconsistent in high-pressure games.

Vardy can still perform, but is he worth it?

Inception admits that despite the flaws, Vardy still performs well in-game. He scored plenty of goals with driven shots and even converted a few power strikes from outside the box. His off-ball movement, combined with Advanced Forward Plus, makes him reliable when it comes to positioning and runs behind the defense.

However, for 900k+ in fodder, players expect a striker that’s plug-and-play without needing extra evolutions or traits. That’s where Vardy falls short. You can get Bruno Fernandes TOTS for under 120,000 coins and still get elite shooting, passing and traits like Playmaker Plus and Driven Shot. Compared to that, Vardy starts to look overpriced for what he offers out of the box.

The evolution fix: is it worth the grind?

EA seems to be pushing players toward using the Season Pass evolution that adds Finesse Shot Plus. This makes Vardy viable, but it’s a hidden cost. If you’ve already used that evolution on another card, you’ll have to wait or find another method to add the missing trait. It feels like EA intentionally left the card unfinished to drive engagement with their evolution system.

Inception suggests that if you’re planning to use Vardy long-term, adding Finesse Shot through EVO is almost required. Once that’s done, he becomes a top-level striker with the full range of finishing abilities. But again, that’s more time and effort on top of an already expensive SBC.

The verdict: fun card, but not great value

Jamie Vardy’s End of an Era card will appeal to Leicester fans and FUT veterans who remember his Premier League title season. For nostalgia and casual fun, this card delivers. It’s fast, aggressive and scores goals when used right.

But for serious FUT Champs players or those looking for optimal value, there are better options. The lack of finesse shot, the high price, and the need for additional evolutions make this card feel like a bait SBC. It’s out for a full month, which means players can slowly build toward it with spare fodder. That helps soften the blow, but it doesn’t change the fact that EA likely priced this SBC based on popularity, not performance.