Rodri 91: the Ballon d'Or winner dominates FC 26 too

The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner has landed in FC 26 with a monstrous 91-rated Thunderstruck card, and it's exactly what you'd expect from the most complete midfielder in world football. With 87 defending, 91 passing, 94 reactions, and 94 composure, this card is built to control matches from the CDM position. The Lengthy AcceleRATE type on his 190cm frame makes him a physical wall in the middle of the park. At 849K coins, Rodri sits in premium territory, but the question is: does the best midfielder in the world translate to the best CDM card in FC 26?

In-game feel & playstyle

Rodri feels like exactly what he is in real life - an absolute commander in midfield. The 94 composure and 94 reactions make him incredibly reliable under pressure, while the 91 ball control and 85 dribbling give him surprising smoothness on the ball for a defensive midfielder. What stands out immediately is his ability to win the ball back and immediately launch attacks with his elite 96 short passing and 96 long passing. The Lengthy body type works perfectly for a CDM, allowing him to catch up to attackers making runs beyond him. His 190cm height combined with 84 jumping and 82 heading accuracy makes him dominant in the air. The 82 pace (82 acceleration, 82 sprint speed) is sufficient for a CDM, though he's not going to track back explosive wingers. The 3-star skills are limiting, but his 4-star weak foot combined with 93 shot power and 90 long shots means his driven passes and occasional shots are consistent from either foot. The only noticeable issue is his agility and balance both sitting at 80 - he can feel a bit stiff when trying to change direction quickly in tight spaces.

Strengths

• Elite passing from deep (96 short, 96 long, 90 vision) - Rodri is the best ball-playing CDM in the game, capable of splitting defenses with through balls or switching play with pinpoint long passes. The 91 curve adds bend to his passes that many CDMs simply can't match.
• Exceptional composure and reactions (94 each) - Never panics on the ball, always makes the right decision under pressure. This is crucial in Weekend League when opponents press aggressively.
• Lengthy AcceleRATE on 190cm frame - Perfect for a CDM. Can catch up to attackers and use his strength (84) and aggression (86) to bully them off the ball. The height advantage is huge for interceptions and headers.
• Outstanding stamina (92) - Covers every blade of grass for 90+ minutes without dropping off. Can play stay back or balanced attack without running out of gas.
• Incredible shot power (93) and long shots (90) - When you do get space outside the box, Rodri can absolutely hammer them. The driven shots are rockets.
• Very good defensive stats (87 defending, 89 def awareness, 88 standing tackle, 85 interceptions) - Reads the game brilliantly and positions himself perfectly to cut out passes and make tackles. The 89 def awareness is particularly noticeable.
• Premier League + Man City + Spain links - Incredibly easy to link into meta squads with Haaland, Foden, De Bruyne, or Spanish icons. The Premier League connection alone makes him slot into 90% of teams.
• 4-star weak foot - Makes him reliable on both feet for passes and tackles, unlike some CDMs who struggle when forced onto their weak side.

Weaknesses

• Only 3-star skills - Severely limits his ability to beat the press with skill moves. In higher divisions, opponents will press him knowing he can't scoop turn or ball roll scoop away.
• Agility and balance only 80 each - For 849K, you expect better body movement. He can feel a bit clunky when trying to turn quickly in tight midfield areas, especially against high-press opponents.
• Finishing only 75, positioning only 77 - Despite the great shot power and long shots, he won't consistently finish chances if he gets forward. The low positioning means he's rarely in the right spot to score.
• 849K price tag is steep for a CDM - You can get icons like Vieira Prime or Seedorf who offer more versatility. For a pure CDM, you're paying premium for the passing stats and name recognition.
• Pace only 82 - Adequate but not elite. Struggle against rapid counter-attacks with Mbappe, Vinicius, or Adeyemi running at him. You need to pair him with a faster CDM in 4-2-3-1 formations.
• No defensive or passing PlayStyles - Zero PlayStyles on this card is disappointing at 91 rating and 849K. Cards like De Jong or Tchouameni offer PlayStyles for cheaper.
• Sliding tackle only 83 - His standing tackle (88) is much better, but if you commit to a slide, he's not as effective as elite ball-winners like Kante or Casemiro.

Best position, chemistry style & squads

Position: CDM in a 4-2-3-1 (stay back while attacking) or 4-3-3 holding. His best role is as the deepest midfielder who shields the defense and dictates tempo. Works well in 4-1-2-1-2 narrow as the lone CDM if you have fast CBs behind him. Not recommended as a CM or box-to-box due to low attacking positioning.

Chemistry Style: Shadow is the obvious choice to boost pace (87 acceleration, 87 sprint speed) and maximize defending (92 defending, 94 def awareness, 93 standing tackle, 90 interceptions). This turns him into an elite ball-winner who can also keep up with faster attacks. Engine is an alternative if you want to address the agility (85) and balance (85) issues while still boosting passing, but Shadow is superior for the CDM role.

Squad Fits: Incredibly easy to link. Perfect for Premier League hybrids with Haaland, Salah, or Palmer. Strong links to Man City players like Foden Evolution, De Bruyne, or Walker. Spain connection works with Barcelona players (Pedri, Gavi) or LaLiga squads. Icon links make him slot into any squad, but with Man City + Premier League + Spain, you don't need icons to get full chem.

Community opinion & what FUT players are saying

The Weekend League community is split on Rodri. Elite players (2000+ SR) praise his passing ability and defensive awareness, noting that he's perfect for possession-based tactics where you need a reliable distributor who won't lose the ball under pressure. Many compare him favorably to Prime Vieira for passing but acknowledge Vieira is better defensively. The main criticism is the 3-star skills and price point - at 849K, many feel you're paying a premium for the name and passing stats when cheaper alternatives like Valverde Evolution, Tchouameni, or even base Casemiro offer better defensive aggression and stamina. Lower-division players complain about his agility and pace, finding him too slow to track back against rapid counter-attacks. However, players who use drop back or balanced defending rave about his positioning and interceptions. The lack of PlayStyles is a common frustration - at 91 rating with these stats, he should have Anticipate, Intercept, or Pinged Pass at minimum. Overall sentiment: elite card for possession players who value passing over pure defensive aggression, but the price is 100-150K too high for what you get.

Final verdict & ratings

Who should buy and who should skip this card.

Who should buy:

• Possession-based players who value elite passing (96 short, 96 long) and build-up play from deep
• Premier League/Man City squad builders who need a top-tier CDM with perfect links
• Players who use stay back CDMs in 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 holding and want a reliable ball-winner
• Ballon d'Or fans or Manchester City supporters who want to use their favorite player

Who should skip:

• Skill move enthusiasts - the 3-star skills will frustrate you when pressed
• Budget-conscious players - 849K is too steep when Tchouameni, Valverde Evolution, or Casemiro do 80% of what Rodri does for 1/3 the price
• Counter-attacking players who need rapid CDMs - 82 pace isn't enough to track back against Mbappe/Vinicius
• Players expecting PlayStyles - zero PlayStyles at 91 rating is disappointing

Our ratings:

• Meta rating: 15.5/20 - Elite passing and defensive awareness, but lacks the pace, skills, and PlayStyles to compete with top-tier icons at this price
• Fun rating: 13.0/20 - Not flashy or exciting, but satisfying if you love dictating tempo and winning the ball cleanly. 3-star skills kill creativity
• Value for coins: 11.0/20 - Overpriced by 150-200K. You're paying for the name and elite passing when cheaper options offer better all-around performance

Conclusion