Igor Thiago 87 POTM Review: Is the LENGTHY 95-Strength Brazilian Poacher Worth 77K? FC 26

In-game feel & playstyle

This is a classic battering-ram striker. At 191cm with 95 strength and a LENGTHY accel type, Igor Thiago feels heavy and powerful rather than nimble. He shrugs defenders off the ball, builds up to a real top speed over distance, and punishes any cross or cutback with elite aerial numbers. The metaRole here says it all: ST Poacher. Put him on the last shoulder, feed him crosses and through balls into space, and let the 88 shooting plus 95 shot power do the work. His 85 dribbling is fine for holding the ball up, but he is not a player who will wriggle through a packed box.

Strengths

• ✅ 90 PHY with 95 strength, he wins almost every shoulder-to-shoulder duel and bullies defenders all game.
• ✅ 88 SHO and 90 finishing with 95 shot power, clinical from inside the box and a real threat from distance.
• ✅ 94 heading, 95 jumping, 191cm, an outstanding aerial outlet for crosses, set pieces and cutbacks.
• ✅ 86 PAC on a LENGTHY profile, reaches a high top speed in behind once he gets going.
• ✅ 4-star weak foot and 4-star skill moves, enough flexibility to finish with either boot.

Weaknesses

• ❌ LENGTHY accel, sluggish out of the blocks in tight spaces, easy to dispossess if defenders crowd him early.
• ❌ 48 DEF, offers nothing defensively, so he will not press or track back.
• ❌ 75 PAS, serviceable link-up but not a creator; do not build your hold-up play around his passing.
• ❌ metaScore 79.4, Tier B, a strong role player rather than a top-tier meta striker.

Best position, chemistry style & squads

Play him as a pure ST poacher, ideally as the focal point in a two-striker or target-man system. A Hunter is the standard upgrade to sharpen the 86 pace and 88 shooting, but because his LENGTHY accel rewards top speed and his strength is already maxed, a Hawk is a smart alternative that boosts pace, shooting and physical for an even more dominant aerial bully. Chemistry is easy to find: he is a Premier League and Brazil link, so he slots next to any of the league's heavy hitters or pairs with Brazilian talent up top. Crossing-heavy wingers will get the most out of his 94 heading.

Final verdict & ratings

Buy him if you love a physical, aerial-dominant target man and you run crosses and through balls. At roughly 77K he is fairly priced for what he delivers in the box. Skip him if you prefer agile, dribble-heavy strikers who beat defenders in tight areas, because the LENGTHY accel and 48 defending are real limitations. He is a Tier B card: very effective in the right system, not a do-everything meta monster.

Conclusion

A bruising 95-strength poacher who turns every cross into a chance. Great value for crossing-based squads, less ideal if you want a winger-style striker.