Welcome back to another best players by position breakdown for FC 26. This year's gameplay feels fresh, fast, and rewarding, which means there's a wide variety of usable players across the pitch. Unlike past years where you had to rely on a small pool of meta cards, FC 26 gives budget squads plenty of affordable beasts. This article highlights players that fit road-to-glory (RTG) squads and even low-spending teams—without skipping over a few premium mentions.

Goalkeepers

Top-tier keepers with high reflex stats and playstyles will naturally perform best, but there are a few cheap gems worth considering:

· Mamma Mia – Incredible reflexes for a budget price, extremely annoying to play against.

· Vicario – Solid shot-stopper who can also be upgraded with a goalkeeper EVO.

· Joan García – A hidden gem with Sweeper Keeper and great reflexes.

Center Backs

Pace is back this year, and fast CBs are thriving again.

· St. Juste – With 92 pace and Intercept+, he's one of the most valuable defenders under 10K.

· Lacroix – Lightning quick, though slightly less defensively sound than St. Juste.

· Arlo – Considered one of the best-value CBs thanks to his five defensive playstyles.

· Bombito – A 93-pace CB available for just 2K coins—perfect if you're confident with manual defending.

· Pacho – Extremely tough to face with Anticipate and Jockey.

· Premium: Virgil van Dijk (VVD) and Marinos (with Intercept+) are elite for those with bigger budgets.

Right Backs

Speed and attacking support define the best fullbacks this year.

· Frimpong – Blazing pace and agility, one of the most effective overlap runners.

· Ba – Budget monster with 90 pace and 81 physical.

· Dumfries – Solid strength and defensive presence.

· Reece James (SBC) – Great defensive stats for the cost.

· Di Lorenzo / Llorente – Versatile, quick, and capable of building attacks.

Left Backs

Quick, affordable wingbacks dominate here.

· Nuno Mendes – Arguably the best LB in the game.

· Theo Hernández – Premium but worth every coin for pace and strength.

· Davies – Still among the fastest left-backs available.

· Balde – A reliable 15K option.

· Udogie – One of the best cheap cards at LB, around 6–7K and extremely well-rounded.

Right Midfielders / Wingers

This is a stacked position, with both cheap beasts and premium stars.

· Messi – Surprisingly affordable at 35K, with Tiki-Taka+ and absurd dribbling.

· Pepe (Showdown) – Only 12K, with Inside Forward+ and strong dribbling.

· Christian Pulisic – Well-rounded and deadly with a 5-star weak foot.

· Kiesa – Always a reliable option, currently undervalued.

· Rodman – At ~50K, she offers elite dribbling and pace.

· Iñaki Williams – A sleeper pick, insanely fast and dangerous this year.

Left Midfielders / Wingers

Some incredible budget players shine here.

· Omar Marmoush – A nightmare striker/winger hybrid with lethal finishing.

· Anssumane Fati / Out of Yemi – Fast, versatile, and fun to use.

· Salma Paralluelo – For 50K, one of the best-value attackers in the game.

· Udogie (again) – As mentioned, a fantastic LB that doubles as a wingback-style player.

Central Midfielders / CDMs

This year favors versatile midfielders who can both defend and push forward.

· Rabiot / Guendouzi – Affordable midfield anchors.

· Pedri / Valverde – Excellent balance between passing, dribbling, and defending.

· Mariona – A budget gem (~50K) with surprising pace and agility.

· Frenkie de Jong – Still one of the most consistent CMs in the game.

· Gavi – 5-star skills make her a standout in this meta.

· Camavinga – Always reliable in the holding role.

· Modrić (Trophy Titans) – Passing and dribbling master.

· Milinković-Savić – One Evo away from becoming broken.

CAMs

The CAM pool feels thin this year, but there are standouts:

· Musiala – Freakish left-stick dribbling.

· Vitinha – Deadly with Incisive Pass+.

· Dybala – Great option if you can handle his 3-star weak foot.

· Xavi Simons – Versatile and quick.

Strikers

Budget squads have plenty of killer options, while premium picks dominate as expected.

· Álvarez – Incredible dribbling and finishing.

· Osimhen – Cheap and clinical for pace-abuse setups.

· Douré – One of the best strikers under 100K.

· Ademola Lookman – Deadly with 88 dribbling and multiple strong playstyles.

· Openda – Pure pace merchant, always effective.

· Ayoze Pérez – The “Spanish Ben Yedder,” absurdly good for just 10K.

· Kolo Muani – Great for Premier League or hybrid teams.

· Amoura – At 2K FC 26 cions, one of the best bargain forwards available.

Final Thoughts

This year's FC 26 meta rewards pace, manual defending, and versatile midfielders. While elite options like VVD, Marinos, and Theo remain dominant, there's no shortage of cheap beasts for RTG players. Whether you're looking for a lightning-fast center back duo like St. Juste + Bombito, a creative CAM like Musiala, or budget strikers like Ayoze Pérez, there's real depth in the card pool.

As the year goes on, more promos and SBCs will shake things up, but for now, these picks should help you build a competitive squad on any budget.