Most popular FIFA 23 players dominated by new SBCs

Ever wondered who the most popular FIFA 23 players are in FUT, or how different your squad is from the rest? Well, wonder no more as EasySBC has provided data detailing which players appear most frequently in their users’ active squads.

It often feels like we are coming up against the same teams over and over again when playing Ultimate Team, and this is largely due to the meta ruling out a large proportion of players. Do you own a classic ‘meta’ team with players from the list below?

EasySBC has provided a list of the players that appear most frequently in FUT 23 active squads. This detailed list unsurprisingly includes players from the current Shapeshifters promo, and the recently expired Team of the Season event.

The spate of End of an Era SBCs are also prevalent given their reasonable pricing and massive ratings! There are some familiar faces in there too, with Gareth Bale’s Premium SBC still among the top players despite being released way back in January.

1. Sergio Busquets (OVR 95) – 31.9%

Sergio Busquets is currently the most frequently active player in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team. The Spaniard’s departure from Barcelona had led to an End of an Era SBC item, and EA did not disappoint with this 95 OVR beast.

Costing roughly 230k, most players already had the fodder in their club to complete this challenge. What they got in return is a 6’2” defensive titan with 87 Pace, 99 Composure, 99 Ball Control, 99 Short Passing, and 99 Long Passing.

2. Presnel Kimpembe (OVR 91) – 29.1%

French defender Presnel Kimpembe suffered an injury-hit season, so we thought it might be a year away from the PSG man dominating in FIFA 23. EA put paid to that idea, releasing a sensational Flashback SBC item during the Ligue 1 TOTS week.

Over a quarter of all teams active in FUT 23 feature Kimpembe, which is surprising given his 600k+ cost. With 99 Aggression, 96 Strength, and 94 Standing Tackle, Kimpembe is one of the most fearsome centre-backs in the game.

3. Harry Kane (OVR 95) – 24.9%

The most frequently used non-SBC player, Harry Kane’s 95 OVR Team of the Season item is a goal machine. Available for less than 100k coins, Kane is not just a terrific player, but also great value.

It is easy to see why Kane is among the most popular players to use. 99 Finishing, Positioning, and Shot Power makes him lethal from anywhere around the box. Throw in his five-star weak foot and Kane is the perfect all-round striker.

4. Jordi Alba (OVR 95) – 22.5%

If Busquets was of great value, then Jordi Alba’s End of an Era SBC is one of the bargains of the season. Just like his Spanish compatriot, Alba is leaving Barcelona this summer, hence the incredible Premium SBC that was released.

Alba is the highest-rated left back available in FIFA 23 with a 95 OVR. FUT Birthday Paolo Maldini has an LB alternate position, but costs 2.4 million coins compared to the 170k value of Alba’s now expired SBC.

5. Vitinha (OVR 94) – 18.8%

Shapeshifters will be the running theme through FUT Season 7, so it is only fitting that one of the new players is featuring in almost one in five active squads. PSG star Vitinha is among the most popular players in the game this year, and given his PSG links it shouldn’t be a surprise.

Vitinha’s 94 OVR item is a strong item in its own right, with five-star skill moves, 99 Acceleration, and great dribbling attributes. Striker is not the best position for Vitinha though, and we would opt to use him from either of his alternate positions of LW or CF.

The recent Gianluca Zambrotta Shapeshifters Icon SBC narrowly missed out, ranking 6th place and featuring in 18.5% of active squads. The Italian legend’s transition into a CM/CDM has proved hugely popular in the community, and the SBC costs just 470k coins to complete.

Incredibly, the basic Rare Gold Kylian Mbappe is the 7th most frequent player despite it being June! His 92 OVR Player of the Month SBC item is also in the Top 20 list having been released in January.

SBC players make up a large portion of players on the list, with Carlos Alberto (Icon SBC), Gareth Bale (Premium SBC), and Dayot Upamecano (Shapeshifters SBC) all included. None of the Shapeshifters that were released in packs feature in the Top 20… yet.

Mbappe being the only usable gold player in the game is no surprise given how effective he is, but can EA change the balance of power in EA Sports FC? The French star is bound to be at the top of the EA Sports FC 24 ratings, and pace is sure to be a key factor, but we would like to see a more balanced gameplay to keep technical players relevant.

This article was written in collaboration with easysbc.io, a next-gen platform helping thousands of users daily solve SBCs effortlessly with AI, discover valuable players in their club with Club Import, and much more.