All Player Role++ players in FC 25 and roles explained
EA SPORTSEA FC 25 completely overhauls the way tactics work in Ultimate Team, and you’ll need to track down cards with a Player Role++ if you want to get the most out of your team.
More so than ever before, the new FC IQ system encourages you to find the players that best suit the system you’re trying to use. Every card has a number of Player Roles that they shine in, but only the absolute elite are awarded a Player Role++.
However, finding these players in-game isn’t easy, so we’ve put together a comprehensive list of every Player Role++ in EA FC and the players that have them.
Every Player Role++ player for all positions in FC 25
Goalkeeper
EA SPORTS / DexertoA traditional goalkeeper who stays on their line and focuses on shot-stopping.
| Player | Club | Card Type |
|---|---|---|
| Gianluigi Buffon | Icon | Icon |
| Gianluigi Donnarumma | PSG | Gold |
| Gregor Kobel | Borussia Dortmund | Gold |
| Jan Oblak | Atletico Madrid | Gold |
| Edwin Van der Sar | Icon | Icon |
| Petr Cech | Icon | Icon |
| Jerzy Dudek | Premier League | Hero |
| Chiamaka Nnadozie | Paris FC | Gold |
| Tim Howard | Premier League | Hero |
Sweeper Keeper
EA SPORTS / DexertoA modern goalkeeper who is able to stop attacks and support build-up play as a passing option.
| Player | Club | Card Type |
|---|---|---|
| Lev Yahsin | Icon | Icon |
| Nadine Angerer | Icon | Icon |
| Iker Casillas | Icon | Icon |
| Peter Schmeichel | Icon | Icon |
| Alisson Becker | Liverpool | Gold |
| Marc Andre ter Stegan | Barcelona | Gold |
| Thibaut Courtois | Real Madrid | Gold |
| Christiane | Endler | Gold |
| Ederson | Manchester City | Gold |
| Jorge Campos | MLS | Hero |
Fullback
EA SPORTS / DexertoA wide defender that will prioritize protecting their own goal, by staying back, holding the defensive line, and offering a passing option to release pressure.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bixente Lizarazu | Bundesliga | LB | Hero |
| Ashely Cole | Icon | LB | Icon |
| Ashleigh Neville | Spurs | LB | Gold |
| Carlos Alberto | Icon | RB | Icon |
| Lillian Thuram | Icon | RB | Icon |
| Jules Kounde | Barcelona | RB | Gold |
Falseback
EA SPORTS / DexertoA modern evolution of the fullback, this player pushes up the field, adopting a central position when their team has the ball.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theo Herandez | AC Milan | LB | TOTW |
| Theo Herandez | AC Milan | LB | Gold |
| David Alaba | Real Madrid | LB | Flashback |
| Phillip Lahm | Icon | RB | Icon |
| Trent Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool | RB | Gold |
Wingback
EA SPORTS / DexertoThis player’s versatility and stamina allows them to push upfield to support attacks before returning to their defensive position.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Arne Riise | Premier League | LB | Hero |
| Capdevilla | LaLiga | LB | Hero |
| Cafu | Icon | RB | Icon |
| Javier Zanetti | Icon | RB | Icon |
| Gianluca Zambrotta | Icon | RB | Icon |
| Dani Carvajal | Real Madrid | RB | Gold |
Attacking Wingback
EA SPORTS / DexertoThough technically a defender, this player will be more concerned with getting forward and offering width to their team’s attacks.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberto Carlos | Icon | LB | Icon |
| Sonia Bompastor | Arkema Ligue 1 | LB | Hero |
| Selma Bacha | Lyon | LB | Gold |
| Fridolina Rolfo | Barcelona | LB | Gold |
| Joao Cancelo | Al Hilal | LB | Gold |
| Maicon | Serie A | RB | Hero |
| Joshua Kimmich | Bayern Munich | RB | Gold |
| Alex Scott | WSL | RB | Hero |
| Giulia Gwinn | Bayern Munich | RB | Gold |
Defender
EA SPORTS / DexertoA no-nonsense Centre Back who excels at the basics of defending, including maintaining the defensive line.
| Player | Club | Card Type |
|---|---|---|
| Franco Baresi | Icon | Icon |
| Bobby Moore | Icon | Icon |
| Alessandro Nesta | Icon | Icon |
| Antonio Rudiger | Real Madrid | Gold |
| Fernando Hierro | Icon | Icon |
| Rio Ferdinand | Icon | Icon |
| Marcel Desailly | Icon | Hero |
| William Saliba | Arsenal | Gold |
| Ivan Cordoba | Serie A | Hero |
| Sol Campbell | Icon | Icon |
| Jonathan Tah | Bayer Leverkusen | Gold |
| Ledley King | Premier League | Hero |
| Jamie Carragher | Premier League | Hero |
| Kadeisha Buchanan | Chelsea | Gold |
Stopper
EA SPORTS / DexertoA ball-winning Centre Back who will step forward from the defensive line to make tackles, intercept passes, and lead the press.
| Player | Club | Card Type |
|---|---|---|
| Paulo Maldini | Icon | Icon |
| Lucio | Serie A | Hero |
| Jurgen Kohler | Bundesliga | Hero |
| Carlos Puyol | Icon | Icon |
| Fabio Cannavaro | Icon | Icon |
| Ruben Dias | Manchester City | Gold |
| Rafael Marquez | LaLiga | Hero |
| Ricardo Carvalho | Liga Portugal | Hero |
| Gabriel | Arsenal | Gold |
| Laura Georges | Arkema Ligue 1 | Hero |
| Nemanja Vidic | Icon | Icon |
| Jaap Stam | Premier League | Hero |
| Bremer | Juventus | Gold |
| Gabriel | Arsenal | Gold |
Ball-Playing Defender
EA SPORTS / DexertoA modern Centre Back who is as comfortable playing offside as playing the ball. Capable of moving forward or wider to support build-up play.
| Player | Club | Card Type |
|---|---|---|
| Mapi Leon | Barcelona | Gold |
| Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool | Gold |
| Vincent Kampany | Premier League | Hero |
| Laurent Blanc | Icon | Icon |
| Ronald Koeman | Icon | Icon |
| Javier Mascherano | LaLiga | Hero |
| Alessandro Bastoni | Inter Milan | Gold |
| Marquinhos | PSG | Gold |
Holding
EA SPORTS / DexertoA pivotal role in modern football, this defence-minded midfielder focuses on guarding their backline during attacks, and covering off against counterattacks, with limited attacking support.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Declan Rice | Arsenal | CDM | Gold |
| Yaya Toure | Premier League | CDM | Hero |
| Claude Makelele | Icon | CDM | Icon |
| Emmanuel Petit | Icon | CDM | Icon |
| Ramires | Premier League | CDM | Hero |
| Gennaro Gattuso | Icon | CDM | Icon |
| Blaise Matuidi | Ligue 1 | CDM | Hero |
| Michael Essien | Icon | CDM | Icon |
| N’Golo Kante | Al Ittihad | CDM | Gold |
| Palhinha | Bayern Munich | CDM | Gold |
Centre-Half
EA SPORTS / DexertoA defensive midfielder who will drop between the Centre Backs while their team is in possession to offer protection against the counterattack.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Rijkaard | Icon | CDM | Icon |
Deep-Lying Playmaker
EA SPORTS / DexertoThe key cog to building up play from the back, this defensively positioned midfielder will often be the catalyst for attacks.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rodri | Manchester City | CDM | Gold |
| Xabi Alonso | Icon | CDM | Icon |
| Granit Xhaka | Bayer Leverkusen | CDM | Gold |
| Andrea Pirlo | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Tanja Pawollek | Frankfurt | CM | Gold |
Box-to-Box
EA SPORTS / DexertoThis player operates between the two boxes, operating as neither the last line of defence, nor the final part of the attack, but involved in everything in between.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homare Sawa | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Lothar Matthaus | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Julie Foudy | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Patrick Viera | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Bastian Schweinsteiger | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Steven Gerrard | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Claudio Marchisio | Serie A | CM | Hero |
| Frank Lampard | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Alexis Mac Allister | Liverpool | CM | Gold |
| Roy Keane | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Damaris Egurrola | Lyon | CM | Gold |
Playmaker
EA SPORTS / DexertoThis player tends to be the creative fulcrum of a midfield, given license to roam and create space and opportunities for attacks. They are likely to be out of position if the opposition counters.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aitana Bonmati | Barcelona | CM | Gold |
| Camille Abily | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Alexia Putellas | Barcelona | CM | Gold |
| Xavi | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Martin Odegaard | Arsenal | CM | Gold |
| Federico Valverde | Real Madrid | CM | Gold |
| Nadine Kesler | Frauen Bundesliga | CM | Hero |
| Paul Scholes | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Frenkie de Jong | Barcelona | CM | Gold |
| Guti | LaLiga | CM | Hero |
| Juan Veron | Icon | CM | Icon |
| Fara Willians | WSL | CM | Hero |
| Zinedine Zidane | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Bobby Charlton | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Zico | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Jude Bellingham | Real Madird | CAM | Gold |
| Socrates | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Abedi Pele | Ligue 1 | CAM | Hero |
| Kaka | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Wesley Sneijder | Serie A | CAM | Hero |
| Michael Laudrup | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Gheorghe Hagi | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Juan Roman Riquelme | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Jari Litmanen | Eredievisie | CAM | Hero |
| Jay-Jay Okocha | Premier League | CAM | Hero |
| Hidetoshi Nakata | Serie A | CAM | Hero |
| Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United | CAM | Hero |
| Rui Costa | Serie A | CAM | Hero |
| Jill Roord | Manchester City | CAM | Gold |
| Thomas Rosicky | Premier League | CAM | Hero |
| Aleksandr Mostovoi | LaLiga | CAM | Hero |
| Mohammed Noor | Saudi Pro League | CAM | Hero |
Half-Winger
EA SPORTS / DexertoA midfielder who provides width when their team is in possession, moving along the flanks to offer a wide threat. Particularly effective when one of three central midfielders.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | CM | Gold |
| Bernardo Silva | Manchester City | CM | Gold |
| Nicolo Barella | Inter Milan | CM | Gold |
| Sara Dabritz | Lyon | CM | Gold |
| Debinha | Kansas City Current | CAM | Gold |
| Marek Hamsik | Serie A | CAM | Hero |
| Julian Brandt | Borussia Dortmund | CAM | Gold |
| Lars Ricken | Bundesliga | CAM | Hero |
Winger
EA SPORTS / DexertoA wide midfielder who will always stay wide, hugging the touchline, and offering support on the flanks in all phases of play.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Kewell | Premier League | LW | Hero |
| John Barnes | Icon | LW | Icon |
| Pavel Nedved | Icon | LM | Icon |
| Mallory Swanson | Chicago Red Stars | LM | Gold |
| Ze Roberto | Bundesliga | LM | Hero |
| Park Ji Sung | Premier League | LM | Hero |
| Luis Figo | Icon | RW | Icon |
| Beth Mead | Arsenal | RW | Gold |
| Adam Traore | Fulham | RM | World Tour |
| David Beckham | Icon | RM | Icon |
Wide Midfielder
EA SPORTS / DexertoA midfielder who stays wide to facilitate play, providing passing and defensive support, but rarely ventures forward to attack.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| DaMarcus Beasley | MLS | LM | Hero |
Wide Playmaker
EA SPORTS / DexertoA creative outlet positioned out wide, but able to move inside to help create chances to unpick defences.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Ginola | Ligue 1 | LM | Hero |
| Franck Ribery | Icon | LM | Icon |
| Robert Pires | Icon | LM | Icon |
| Grimaldo | Bayer Leverkusen | LM | Gold |
| Freddie Ljungberg | Premier League | LM | Hero |
| Ronaldinho | Icon | LW | Icon |
| Neymar Jr. | Al Hilal | LW | Gold |
| Stve McManaman | Premier League | RM | Hero |
| Svenja Huth | Wolfsburg | RM | Gold |
| George Best | Icon | RW | Icon |
| Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | RW | TOTW |
| Kadidiatou Diani | Lyon | RW | Gold |
| Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | RW | Gold |
| Joe Cole | Premier League | RW | Hero |
Inside Forward
EA SPORTS / DexertoA wide attacker who begins on the wing, but will regularly cut inside onto their preferred foot to shoot or play the final pass. They tend to run in behind the defence.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aya Miyama | Icon | LM | Icon |
| Guro Reiten | Chelsea | LM | Gold |
| Eden Hazard | Premier League | LM | Hero |
| Nico Williams | Athletic Bilbao | LM | Gold |
| Freddie Ljungberg | Premier League | LM | Hero |
| Vinicius Jr | Real Madrid | LW | Gold |
| Rivaldo | Icon | LW | Icon |
| Paulo Futre | LaLiga | LW | Hero |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Napoli | CAM | Gold |
| Rafael Leao | AC Milan | LW | Gold |
| Trinity Rodman | Washington Spirit | RM | TOTW |
| Ludovic Giuly | Ligue 1 | RM | Hero |
| Cole Palmer | Chelsea | RM | Gold |
| Riyad Mahrez | Al Ahli | RM | Gold |
| Trinity Rodman | Washington Spirit | RM | Gold |
| Garrincha | Icon | RW | Icon |
| Caroline Hansen | Barcelona | RW | Gold |
| Jairzinho | Icon | RW | Icon |
| Mo Salah | Liverpool | RW | Gold |
| Phil Foden | Manchester City | RW | Gold |
| Gareth Bale | Icon | RW | Icon |
| Bukayo Saka | Arsenal | RW | Gold |
| Ousamane Dembele | PSG | RW | TOTW |
| Lauren James | Chelsea | RW | Gold |
| Ousmane Dembele | PSG | RW | Gold |
| Saeed Al Owairan | Saudi Pro League | RW | Hero |
Shadow Striker
EA SPORTS / DexertoAn attack-minded midfielder who plays in the ‘hole’ behind the strikers. Their well-timed runs into the box will result in plenty of goal-scoring opportunities.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pele | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Johan Cruyff | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Roberto Baggio | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Alessandro Del Pierro | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Ruud Gullit | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Enzo Francescoli | Argentina Primera Division | CAM | Hero |
| Florian Wirtz | Bayer Leverkusen | CAM | Gold |
| Jamal Musiala | Bayern Munich | CAM | Gold |
| Rose Lavelle | NJ/NY Gotham | CAM | Gold |
| Paulo Dybala | Roma | CAM | Gold |
| Gianfranco Zola | Icon | CAM | Icon |
| Dirk Kuyt | Eredivisie | CAM | Hero |
| Landon Donovan | MLS | CAM | Hero |
| Clint Dempsey | MLS | CAM | Hero |
Advanced Forward
EA SPORTS / DexertoA versatile attacker who usually stays close to the opposition’s defensive line, but opens themselves up for passes in the build-up, and makes runs in behind for scoring chances.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ronaldo | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Mia Hamm | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Ferenc Puskas | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Kylian Mbappe | Real Madrid | ST | Gold |
| Thierry Henry | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Dennis Bergkamp | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Sam Kerr | Chelsea | ST | Gold |
| Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | ST | Gold |
| Raul | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Kenny Dalglish | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Gianluca Vialli | Serie A | ST | Hero |
| Kelly Smith | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Jean-Pierre Papin | Ligue 1 | ST | Hero |
| Huge Sanchez | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Samuel Eto’o | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Hristo Stoichkov | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Carlos Tevez | Premier League | ST | Hero |
| Diego Forlan | LaLiga | ST | Hero |
| Diego Milito | Serie A | ST | Hero |
| Robin van Persie | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Marinette Pichon | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Wayne Rooney | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Andriy Shevchenko | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Patrick Kluivert | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Davor Suker | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Heung-Min Son | Spurs | ST | Gold |
| Sidney Govou | Ligue 1 | ST | Hero |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Al Hilal | ST | Gold |
| Robbie Keane | Premier League | ST | Hero |
Poacher
EA SPORTS / DexertoThis player has one objective: to score goals. They stay forward and focus on making runs in behind the defence, hoping to fashion a chance to score.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erling Haaland | Macnhester City | ST | POTM |
| Gerd Muller | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Erling Haaland | Manchester City | ST | Gold |
| Marco van Basten | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Gary Lineker | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Emilio Butragueno | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Rudi Voller | Bundesliga | ST | Hero |
| Ruud van Nistelrooy | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Miroslav Klose | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Michael Owen | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Gianluca Vialli | Serie A | ST | Hero |
| Kelly Smith | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Ian Wright | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Ian Rush | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Victor Osimhen | Galatasaray | ST | Gold |
| Fernando Torres | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Dimitar Berbatov | Premier League | ST | Hero |
| Luis Hernandez | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Hernan Crespo | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Ole Gunnar Solskjaer | Premier League | ST | Hero |
| Rachel Daly | Aston Villa | ST | Gold |
| Tim Cahill | Premier League | ST | Hero |
False 9
EA SPORTS / DexertoPositioned in the forward line, this player drops deep to dictate play, in the space in front of a defence. This also allows them to contribute towards defensive phases of the game.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eusebio | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Lotta Schelin | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns | ST | Gold |
| Lautaro Martinez | Inter Milan | ST | Gold |
| Eric Cantona | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Marie Katoto | PSG | ST | Gold |
| Antoine Griezmann | Atletletico Madrid | ST | Gold |
| Robert Lewandowski | Barcelona | ST | Gold |
| Antonio Di Natale | Serie A | ST | Hero |
| Tomas Brolin | Serie A | ST | Hero |
| Karim Benzema | Al Ittihad | ST | TOTW |
| Wlodzimierz Smolarek | Bundesliga | ST | Hero |
| Karim Benzema | Al Ittihad | ST | Gold |
| Nwankwo Kanu | Premier League | ST | Hero |
Target Forward
EA SPORTS / DexertoAn attacking outlet whose physicality allows them to hold up play, shielding the ball from opponents, and bring others into attacks. They feed on crosses as well as passes to feet.
| Player | Club | Position | Card Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birgit Prinz | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Celia Sasic | Frauen Bundesliga | ST | Hero |
| Didier Drogba | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Fernando Morientes | LaLiga | ST | Icon |
| Alan Shearer | Icon | ST | Icon |
| Mario Gomez | Bundesliga | ST | Hero |
| Khadija Shaw | Manchester City | ST | Gold |
| Peter Crouch | Premier League | ST | Hero |
What are Player Roles in EA FC 25?
EA FC 25 Player Roles let you know how well a player is suited to a particular position and instruction. You have the freedom to slot any card you like into your formation, but keeping your eye on how capable they are in each one can improve how your team performs.
Someone with a ‘+’ in a certain Player Role is considered above average, meaning they can play that role better than most of their rivals. But if they have ‘++,’ this means they’re absolutely world class in that position, so you’ll want to make sure you build a squad to fit their strengths.
For example, Kevin de Bruyne is very strong as a regular Playmaker pulling the strings, but he has the Half-Winger Player Role++. So, if you want to get the most out of the Belgian, you’ll need to set up your tactics to allow him to drift out wide and put crosses into the box.
While many players are more than serviceable in multiple roles, you’ll want to fully optimize your team if you plan on taking on the very best, especially in Division Rivals and FUT Champions, where the smallest details can be the difference between winning and losing.