It looked like Team of the Year in FC 26 was destined to be the first one in history without Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. We had accepted the changing of the guard. We were ready to move on to the new generation. But after the biggest leak of the year dropped yesterday, we can’t believe we are actually saying this. They are in the Team of the Year promo. Well, kind of. The leaked Player Pick SBC featuring the two greatest players of all time has completely shifted the momentum of the promo, and we need to talk about how their cards look and the massive impact this is having on the market.
There is a massive discussion surrounding this player pick because it is not just about the cards; it is about the cost. We are looking at a potential price tag that could drain clubs dry, but for a chance to own a first-owner GOAT card, it might just be worth it. We are going to break down the stats, the playstyles, and the financial chaos this has unleashed on the transfer market.
The goats return to FC 26
We knew there was one crazy leak left. Leakers had been hinting at a massive surprise that was still unreleased for Team of the Year, but nobody expected this. CR7 and Messi are coming as a Team of the Year Honorable Mention Player Pick SBC, and the official stats from the leaks are terrifying.
These are not just nostalgia merchants; they are meta-defining attackers. Regardless of who you choose, you are adding an endgame player to your squad. Both cards feature Finesse Plus, which remains one of the most effective scoring methods in FC 26. Ronaldo comes equipped with Rapid Plus alongside it, while Messi boasts the Technical Plus playstyle.
If you look at the stats on these items, they are ridiculous. Messi is sitting with 90 pace and 90 shooting, which is already elite, but look at the passing and dribbling. He has 90 passing and a staggering 94 dribbling. That 94 dribbling combined with Technical Plus means the ball is going to be glued to his foot. It is actually better dribbling than his Time Warp card which was trading for over 3 million coins.
On the other side, Ronaldo has 90 pace and an incredible 93 shooting. His physicals are at 83 and his dribbling is a solid 89. If you completed his Flashback card in FC 25, you know how dominant that setup can be. The combination of Rapid Plus to get away from defenders and Finesse Plus to finish from outside the box makes him a lethal striker. The fact that we have to choose between them is cruel, but it is also the most exciting content drop we have seen in months.
Analyzing the price and value proposition
The cards are incredible, but the price is going to be the main hurdle for most of us. The leak suggests this SBC will cost around 2.5 million coins. To be honest, that is decent value considering the market price of their comparable cards. The Time Warp Ronaldo was nearly 4 million coins, and Messi was sitting at 3.5 million. Getting a card that is statistically better for 2.5 million is a win on paper, but actually crafting it is a different story.
You have to imagine the sheer volume of high-rated squads this will require. We are likely talking about eighteen, nineteen, or maybe even twenty separate squads. We have already seen the Marcelo SBC require a 90-rated squad, so this player pick will almost certainly demand multiple 90 and 91-rated segments. This means you cannot just rely on low-rated fodder or your daily upgrades. You need the big cards, and you need a lot of them.
This makes the potential release of the 82×20 upgrade SBC absolutely critical. In previous years, that upgrade arrived on the Tuesday of the final TOTY week. We almost need that SBC to appear now to make this grind feasible without spending liquid coins. If EA does not give us a way to craft high-rated fodder, completing a 2.5 million coin SBC during the busiest week of the year will be extremely difficult for the average player.
Market chaos and the fodder crisis
The market has already reacted violently to this news, and if you were not prepared, you might have missed the boat on cheap investing. High-rated fodder has gone to the moon. If you look at 91-rated cards, the cheapest options are now trading for 105,000 coins. Just a few days ago, these same cards were 80,000 coins. Before the promo started, they were 50,000. This inflation is happening because people know what is coming.
Investors are piling into fodder because cards like Salah and Putellas are going out of packs this weekend. For the 90-rated cards, Rodri and Bellingham will be in packs as TOTY items, meaning their gold versions are gone. This supply shock, combined with the demand for the Messi and Ronaldo SBC, could cause these high-rated cards to go extinct. We are seeing a panic buy scenario where everyone realizes they need 90+ rated cards at the exact same time.
If you are 100% committed to completing this player pick, you should consider a club stock immediately. It might seem ridiculous to pay these prices, but they could go higher. Keep an eye on 93 and 94-rated cards like Endler or Millie Bright. If the lower high-rated cards vanish, people will be forced to buy these premium fodder cards, driving their prices up as well. It is a risky game, but if you want that Ronaldo with 93 shooting or that Messi with 94 dribbling, you have to be prepared to pay the premium.
Impact on other top-tier attackers
One angle we have to consider is what this does to the rest of the market, specifically other high-end attackers. If you are sitting on a card like the Thierry Henry icon with two PlayStyle Plus traits, you might be sweating a little bit. This SBC introduces two top-tier attackers into the game that are accessible via grinding.
When a massive SBC like this drops, players often sell their tradeable assets to fund the completion of the untradeable card. We could see a dip in the prices of cards worth 1 million coins or more as people liquidate their clubs to afford the Goat debate. Even some of the less desirable Team of the Year cards could take a hit. Why spend 2 million coins on a tradeable striker when you can craft a 90-rated Ronaldo who links to your team and has better shooting?
This is the power of a “must-do” SBC. It drains liquidity from the market and forces prices down on tradeable cards while driving prices up on fodder. It is a classic market shift during Team of the Year, but the magnitude of it is amplified because it is Messi and Ronaldo. These aren’t just random meta players; these are the faces of the sport. The desire to own them trumps almost any other logic in the game, which is why we expect the completion rate on this SBC to be incredibly high despite the cost.
Navigating the next few days
So what is the play? If you have the coins and the fodder, you prepare. You start buying the 88s and 89s that haven’t spiked as hard as the 91s. You look for high-rated in-forms that might be required for the segments. And most importantly, you hold your packs for when the craftable upgrade SBCs drop.
The leak of this Player Pick has saved the excitement for many of us who felt the Honorable Mentions team was looking a bit weak. While cards like Salah received minimal upgrades, this Messi and Ronaldo release is a true content win. It gives us a reason to grind, a reason to open packs, and a reason to engage with the menus for hours on end. Just be ready for the pain of submitting that twentieth squad.
Messi and Ronaldo Team of the Year FAQ:
What playstyles do the cards have
Ronaldo has Rapid and Finesse while Messi has Technical and Finesse.
How much will the SBC cost
Estimates place the cost around 2.5 million coins based on fodder prices.
Will these cards be available in packs
No these are exclusive to the SBC and cannot be packed tradeable.
Is the SBC repeatable
No it is a one time player pick between the two cards.
