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FIFA 23 is currently several months into its annual game cycle, and EA Sports has released a large gallery of special cards in Ultimate Team. The constant influx of promos and new cards ensures that the meta of the game keeps evolving, with older cards being rendered inaffective and obsolete after a few months. However, there are several versions that retain their viability throughout the year.
Icons have been a staple of Ultimate Team ever since their inception. These legendary footballers have earned their spot on the special roster of FIFA 23 and have three unique versions depicting various stages of their careers. Despite being the lowest-rated version, Base Icons continue to be in demand due to their overpowered nature and effectiveness in the chemistry system.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.
These are the most overpowered Base Icons in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team
1) Pele
Pele is regarded by many as the greatest player to ever grace the game, which is evident in his Icon ratings in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team. His Prime version is the highest-rated card in the game, with his Base variant being no slouch either. The 91-rated card has all of the stats required to be an overpowered attacker in the current meta of the game.
Presently, the card is worth over 2.5 million coins in the FUT transfer market, making him the most expensive Base Icon in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team. Not only does he have the pace, dribbling, and shooting skills to be a versatile and lethal forward, he also possesses five-star skill moves that make him the complete offensive package.
2) Eusebio
Despite not being amongst the highest-rated Base Icons in the game, Eusebio is undoubtedly one of the most lethal marksmen due to his impressive attributes and five-star weak foot. The Portuguese legend was introduced to the Icon roster in FIFA 19 and has retained his effectiveness ever since, with his Base version being just as overpowered as his Mid and Prime variants.
Eusebio is an abnormality when it comes to Icons in FIFA 23, as his Base item is worth more in the transfer market than his Mid version. This is a testament to how effective this 89-rated card is, especially since he possesses more pace than his 91-rated card. Although his 92-rated World Cup card and 93-rated Prime card are much better in-game, his lowest iteration is still in high demand.
3) Johan Cruyff
Often regarded as the father of modern football due to his revolutionary approach to the sport as a manager for FC Barcelona, Johan Cruyff was even better as a player than he was as a coach. His abilities have been accurately reflected in the virtual pitch of FIFA 23, as his variants are some of the most coveted items in the game.
Cruyff combines Pele's five-star skills with Eusebio's five-star weak foot to provide the ultimate attacking skillset. His Base item is just as overpowered as his Mid and World Cup editions, which is evident in the whopping 1.9 million coin price tag in the FUT transfer market.
4) Zinedine Zidane
Zidane is similar to Johan Cruyff in many ways, earning success as both a player and a manager for Real Madrid. The French legend is regarded as one of the best playmaking maestros of all time, and his Icon cards certainly do his abilities justice.
His 91-rated Base version is an incredibly versatile box-to-box midfielder in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team. Similar to Cruyff, he possesses five-star skills and a five-star weak foot as well. Additionally, he has better pace and stamina stats than his Mid version, making him just as desirable in the game's current meta.
5) Paolo Maldini
Despite being a left-back by default, Paolo Maldini's 88-rated base item is best deployed as a centre-back in-game. He was released as an affordable SBC early on in the game cycle, and is extremely popular amongst gamers due to his impressive stats. His price has almost doubled since the expiration of his SBC, which just goes to show how effective he is as a defensive enforcer.
Maldini is arguably the best Icon centre-back in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team. His higher-rated iterations are certainly better when it comes to defensive and physical attributes, but the high pace rating of the Base version makes him just as viable in-game.
