Beckenbauer 93 made me love defending again

Franz Beckenbauer's 93 Thunderstruck ICON represents one of football's most legendary defenders in digital form, priced at 1.99 million coins across all platforms. With a jaw-dropping 97 interceptions, 96 defensive awareness, and exceptional ball-playing abilities (96 long passing, 95 short passing), Der Kaiser promises to be both a defensive wall and playmaking hub from the back. However, at this price point with only 3-star skills and 83 pace, Weekend League grinders need to know if this Icon can truly compete against meta attackers running Lengthy and explosive body types.

In-game feel & playstyle

Beckenbauer plays like a ball-playing sweeper who reads the game two steps ahead of everyone else. That 93 reactions combined with 97 interceptions means he's constantly in the right position to break up attacks before they develop - he genuinely feels like he has a magnetic force field around him. The 84 acceleration and 82 sprint speed might look mediocre on paper, but his defensive positioning is so elite that he rarely needs recovery pace. Where he truly shines is transition play - that 96 long passing with 89 vision means he can ping accurate 40-yard balls to start counter-attacks instantly. The 92 ball control and 90 composure make him incredibly smooth on the ball for a CB, never panicking under pressure. His 97 jumping with 89 heading accuracy makes him absolutely dominant in the air on both ends of the pitch. The downside is he's not a bruiser - 83 strength and 75 aggression mean he won't bully power forwards like an Adama Traore or Haaland in shoulder-to-shoulder battles. The 3-star skills limit dribbling options when pressed high, though his ball control compensates somewhat.

Strengths

• Elite defensive intelligence (97 interceptions, 96 awareness) - Reads passing lanes like a psychic and intercepts through balls that other defenders don't even react to. Genuinely feels like he has higher AI than standard defenders, constantly making auto-blocks and interceptions without user input.
• World-class passing from defense (96 long, 95 short) - Best ball-playing CB in the game not named Maldini. Can execute any pass with pinpoint accuracy - crossfield switches, through balls to wingers, quick one-twos out of pressure. Transforms your build-up play.
• Aerial dominance (97 jumping, 89 heading) - Wins absolutely everything in the air. Corners against him are pointless, and he's a legitimate goal threat on your own set pieces. Outjumps strikers 8+ inches taller than him.
• Composed ball control (92 ball control, 90 composure) - Never loses the ball under pressure. You can confidently receive passes on him with aggressive pressing and he'll shield, turn, and find an outlet. Composure stat means no panic animations.
• Positioning and auto-defending - His defensive awareness is so high that he makes correct decisions on auto-pilot. When you're controlling other players, he's shadow-running attackers and cutting passing lanes. Elite for players who don't manually defend much.
• Stamina for 90+ minutes (87 stamina) - Will not get tired even in extra time. Can confidently push him forward for late corners without worrying about him being gassed on counter-attacks.
• 4-star weak foot - Can pass and shoot competently with both feet. Won't ever scuff a pass because it's on his weaker side.
• Icon links - Gives you green links to any nationality and league, making squad building incredibly flexible. Massive value for hybrid squads.

Weaknesses

• Only 83 pace (84 acc, 82 sprint speed) - Will get burned by explosive meta attackers on through balls. If your opponent has Mbappe, Vinicius, or any Lengthy striker making runs in behind, you need to manually control Beckenbauer or he'll get left for dead on recovery runs.
• Below-average strength (83) and aggression (75) - Gets bullied in physical battles by power forwards. Players like Haaland, Lukaku, or even evolved strikers with 90+ strength will shield him off easily. That low aggression means he doesn't commit to challenges aggressively enough sometimes.
• 3-star skill moves - Extremely limiting when pressed high or trying to dribble out of tight spaces. Can't use ball roll, scoop turn, or any advanced skill moves to beat the press. You're stuck with basic left-stick dribbling.
• 2M coin price tag - Incredibly expensive for a CB when you could build an entire elite back line for less. Cards like Saliba TOTW (200K) or Rudiger special cards (500K) offer 90% of the defending at 1/4 the price.
• No PlayStyles+ data - The database shows no PlayStyles or PlayStyles+, which is concerning for a 2M Icon. Elite defenders should have Anticipate+, Block+, Aerial+, etc. Without these, he's missing key defensive boosts.
• Not ideal against pacey meta - In the current Weekend League meta dominated by through ball spam and explosive attackers, his lack of recovery pace becomes a glaring weakness. You need Shadow chem style mandatory, which still only gets him to 93 pace.
• Opportunity cost - 2M coins could buy you Prime Maldini, multiple elite attackers, or fund an entire team upgrade. Unless you're a die-hard Beckenbauer fan or need Icon links desperately, that investment is better allocated elsewhere.

Best position, chemistry style & squads

Position: RCB or LCB in a back 4 (4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1) or central CCB in a back 3 (5-2-1-2, 5-3-2). His passing makes him perfect for the CCB role where he can dictate play, but he also works excellently as a traditional CB who can step into midfield to progress the ball. Avoid playing him at CDM despite the passing - his H/M work rates aren't listed, but his defensive positioning is wasted in midfield.

Chemistry Style: Shadow is mandatory to boost that pace to 93 and max out his already-elite defending. This gets acceleration to 94 and sprint speed to 92, which makes him viable against most attackers. Engine is a distant second option if you want to push him to 91 dribbling and 99 passing, but you're sacrificing necessary pace. Anchor could work if you want to boost that 83 strength to 93, but you're still stuck with 83 pace which is problematic.

Squad Fits: As an Icon, he links everyone with full chemistry. Perfect for Bundesliga teams (German nationality), hybrid squads needing strong links to other Icons, or as the lynchpin in a multi-league defense. Pair him with a pacey partner like Kyle Walker, Alphonso Davies, or Saliba to cover his recovery speed weakness. Works brilliantly alongside aggressive ball-winners who can do the physical dirty work while he reads the game.

Community opinion & what FUT players are saying

The Weekend League community is split on Beckenbauer at this price point. Elite Division players praise his defensive IQ and passing range, noting that he makes defending feel effortless when you're manually controlling other players - his AI defensive positioning is top 1% in the game. Many compare him favorably to Maldini for pure ball-playing ability, with some arguing his passing is actually superior. However, there's near-universal agreement that 2M coins is too expensive for a CB without 85+ pace in the current meta. Competitive players report that he struggles specifically against teams running Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., or any evolved strikers with 95+ pace - if your opponent knows to spam through balls, Beckenbauer becomes a liability. Several pros mention he's fantastic in Division Rivals against average players who don't exploit pace, but gets exposed in Weekend League when facing elite opponents who specifically target his recovery speed. The lack of PlayStyles+ is a common complaint, with players expecting defensive badges like Anticipate+ and Block+ at this price tier. Content creators consistently rate him as amazing but overpriced - the consensus seems to be he'd be worth it at 1.2M but not 2M. There's also frustration that his 3-star skills make him too one-dimensional when pressed, forcing predictable passing rather than skill move escapes.

Final verdict & ratings

Franz Beckenbauer's 93 Thunderstruck ICON is an elite ball-playing defender with world-class positioning, but his 2M price tag is difficult to justify in FC 26's pace-dominant meta.

Who should buy:

• Players who prioritize build-up play and passing over pace, running possession-heavy tactics (60%+ possession)
• Icon collectors or Beckenbauer fans who value the player legacy over pure meta effectiveness
• Elite manual defenders who can compensate for his pace weakness with good positioning and jockeying
• Hybrid squad builders who desperately need Icon links to connect multi-league teams
• Players facing lower divisions where opponents don't spam through balls

Who should skip:

• Competitive Weekend League grinders facing Elite/Top 200 opponents who exploit pace
• Players who defend mostly on AI assistance - his pace weakness gets exposed without manual control
• Anyone on a budget or building their first elite team - 2M on one CB is poor resource allocation
• Players facing constant Mbappe/Vinicius/Haaland teams who need recovery pace desperately
• Anyone expecting PlayStyles+ defensive boosts at this price tier

Our ratings:

• Meta rating: 15.5/20 - Elite defending and passing, but pace weakness and lack of PlayStyles+ hurt his competitive viability against top-tier opponents
• Fun rating: 16.0/20 - Incredibly satisfying to ping passes and read interceptions, but 3-star skills limit creativity and his lack of pace means less highlight-reel defending
• Value for coins: 11.0/20 - Way overpriced at 2M. You're paying 1M+ for the Icon link flexibility and name value. Similar defending available for 1/4 the price with better pace

Conclusion