Summary
FIFA 23’s FUTTIES celebration offers the chance to collect legendary players like Ronaldinho by completing their SBC or set of objectives. The resources to acquire each Cover Star Icon are significant, but the amount of freepacks you can earn in FUTshould help you cover the costs.
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While each Cover Star Icon has an attribute set that eclipses most others, these fantastic players are not equal in their abilities. When it comes to crowning the absolute best, these legends let their in-game performance do the talking.
Updated September 13th, 2023 by Andrew Scariati:FIFA 23’s Cover Star Icons celebrate the franchise’s long history as the premier soccer simulation.
Legends like Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, and Wayne Rooney have all graced the cover of a FIFA game, and these cards celebrate them at the peak of their powers. Each Cover Star Icon can be earned via limited-time SBCs, so get them while they’re available.
12Paul Scholes – 95 Overall
Much like his real counterpart, this Paul Scholes card is an extremely solid all-around player. None of these attributes stand out as particularly better than the others, and he will fit into most teams without issue.
Unfortunately, his jack-of-all-trades attributes format makes Scholes quite underwhelming when compared to other icons, or even just other players in his position. The Medium work rates make him a bit difficult to use as Scholes will need a bit of coaxing to keep him working hard on and off the ball.
11Rui Costa – 96 Overall
If you’re an AC Milan fan then Rui Costa might just be a must-have player for your squad regardless of his abilities.
Luckily, Costa’s Cover Star Icon card does his skillset justice, highlighting his sublime dribbling abilities and silky movement on the ball. He boasts Flair, Finesse, and Outside Foot Shot traits that enable him to perform deadly Trivelas.
Costa is extremely well-rounded, with his sole weakness coming from his average body type. If you don’t mind the slightly slow animations when compared with some other top-tier midfielders, then Costa should be a fantastic addition to your team.
10Iker Casillas – 97 Overall*
Goalkeepers are oft-forgotten among the host of Cover Star Icons that ushered in the end of the FIFA 23 cycle. While his Squad Builder Challenge (SBC) was perhaps one of the cheapest, Casillas rarely receives fanfare given his unforgiving position.
While you rarely notice your keeper until they make a mistake, Casillas' ability to function in the Sweeper Keeper role makes him worth using. His traits are highlighted by Comes For Crosses and GK Long Throw, which allow you to transition from defense to offense with an aggressive play by Casillas.
9Andriy Shevchenko – 96 Overall
This Ukrainian legend is one of the deadliest strikers to ever play the game, and this fantastic card will illustrate Shevchenko’s incredible abilities. As a forward, Shevchenko’s high work rates on both sides can tire him out but can be immensely helpful when playing defense without the ball.
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Make no mistake: Shevchenko is best when attacking with the ball and can make some incredible moments out of nothing. Once he’s in or around the box with space, he can make use of his Finesse Shot trait to curl attempts around the keeper game after game.
8Wayne Rooney – 97 Overall
Wayne Rooney is a legend of English football and a powerhouse player on the ball. Five-star Skill Moves and weak foot allow Rooney the technical capabilities to be one of the most dangerous offensive players in your squad.
His stocky body type is a bit unconventional, but if you enjoy a bulldog-like player on the pitch then there simply may not be any better options than Rooney. He fits into a similar mold as Scholes, though Rooney’s exceptional shooting and Physical attributes make him a standout player on offense.
7Alessandro Del Piero – 98 Overall
If bulldogs like Rooney aren’t your game, then Alessandro Del Piero is a much more finesse-oriented attacker who can score goals in bunches. His unique body type lends itself to unusual, helpful animations that make Del Piero feel special, especially considering his small stature.
Height aside, Del Piero’s technical abilities and shooting are unreal and his Finesse Shot trait makes it easy to score with him if you can find the space. Be wary that you can be bullied off the ball quite easily by stronger defenders, but you shouldn’t face many issues if you practice being elusive.
6Xabi Alonso – 97 Overall
At this point, there are dozens of incredible midfielders to choose from, but you shouldn’t overlook Xabi Alonso in your decision-making process.
Functioning best as a box-to-box midfielder, Xabi Alonso has the perfect balance of skills to assist in the offense and shut down transitions on defense. His high defensive work rate will allow you to enjoy quick transition speed when switching on defense while simultaneously ensuring the AI puts Xabi in good starting positions.
Flair Passes, Swerve Pass, and Flair are three excellent traits that will give Xabi Alonso extra movement on his passes, making him a maestro in midfield.
5Roberto Carlos – 97 Overall
Roberto Carlos is a bit of an unusual case as he actually functions a bit poorly in his intended Left Back area due to his small size. However, you can still make immense use of Carlos’surprisingly good FUT card.
A 97 in Pace and Passing topped off by a 98 in Shooting should speak for themselves.
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When you start a game, move Carlos up into a Left Midfield or Left Wing position to take advantage of his blistering Pace and offensive prowess. Further up the pitch, Carlos will be able to focus on his scintillating offense and won’t struggle as much trying to defend much taller players as a Left Back.
4Zinedine Zidane – 99 Overall
Zinedine Zidane is one of the greatest to ever step foot on a football pitch, and his 99-rated card highlights the incredibly well-rounded game he played. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean this card is perfect, as the work rates can make Zidane feel clunky at times.
Aside from that, this card is nearly perfect in every way, with 99 Passing to go with an extremely impressive 97 Dribbling and 96 Shooting for a midfielder. Zidane’s only major traits are Flair and Finesse Shot, but these will help him execute stylish goals and passes with frequency.
Given his average body type, Zidane lacks fluidity at times, but his unbelievable skills with the ball at his feet more than atone for it.
3Lothar Matthaus – 99 Overall*
Lothar Matthaus edges out Zidane due to his immense versatility and fantastic work rates. Whether Zidane plays better than his work rates is debatable, but there’s no denying how responsive Matthaus' work rates make his card.
Aside from his excellence in the midfield, Matthaus is one of FIFA 23’s highest-rated defenders, as he boasts Center Back as an alternate position choice. you may choose to play Matthaus wherever you need a gap filled as his laundry list of traits allows him to adapt with ease.
Traits like Finesse Shot, Outside Foot Shot, Giant Throw–In, and Power Free-Kick are all prime examples of Matthaus' best qualities, with his only weakness being a four–star weak foot.
