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The infamous FIFA 23 leak-based Twitter account FUT Sheriff recently revealed that legendary Spanish defender Carles Puyol will be receiving a World Cup Icon card in the game. Recent leaks suggest that he will arrive as a Squad Building Challenge, which is exciting news for fans looking to grind for an elite-tier defensive player in Ultimate Team.
With the World Cup being in full swing, EA Sports has released a host of themed content to celebrate the iconic tournament, including a squad of World Cup Icons. These Icons are upgraded versions of their mid versions, but are inferior to their Prime cards. Since Prime versions are yet to be released in FIFA 23, these are the best available cards for those respective Icons.
Note: This article is speculative and based entirely on leaks from social media.
World Cup Icon Carles Puyol could possibly be an elite-tier defender in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team
World Cup Icons have been included in Ultimate Team to celebrate their achievements at the international level, and very few defenders in the history of the game are as accomplished as Carles Puyol. The Spanish legend led his nation to glory in three consecutive major tournaments, winning the Euros in 2008 and 2012, as well as the coveted World Cup trophy in 2010.
Unfortunately, Carles Puyol has been historically unpopular in FIFA due to his lack of pace. Not only is he slow in-game, but also lacks the domineering physical presence displayed by other Icons like Rio Ferdinand and Paolo Maldini. Fortunately, World Cup Icons have received significant boosts to certain key stats, so there's hope that EA will upgrade Puyol's pace as well.
What will World Cup Icon Carles Puyol look like in FIFA 23?
The FC Barcelona legend has impressive overall ratings across his various cards. His base version is unique, as his default position is at right-back, with an overall rating of 86. His middle version is 90-rated, while his prime version is 92-rated. This means that his World Cup Icon card will have an overall rating of 91.
However, the upgrade allotted to his attributes won't necessarily be linear between the two versions. Just like EA did with World Cup Icon Bobby Moore, who received a massive pace boost in-game, it's possible that they may upgrade Puyol's card. This would dramatically increase the viability of this card in the current meta of FIFA 23.
How will the card perform in-game?
If he receives 80 pace or higher, Puyol could be a viable defensive option in the current meta of FIFA 23. The lengthy meta is well and truly over, with the game favoring players with explosive and controlled running styles instead. This would make him an incredible centre-back, despite not being the tallest or most physically imposing player in-game.
