Building a Premier League Legacy Team in EA FC 25
What happens when you blend over a decade of Premier League greatness with one of the most intense Ultimate Team challenges in EA FC 25? You get a wild, nostalgic, and high-stakes team-building experiment that takes one player from each of the 14 Premier League Team of the Season (TOTS) squads in FIFA history. From Wayne Rooney and Gareth Bale in FIFA 12, to Declan Rice and Mo Salah in FC 25, this challenge is a celebration of the best cards we've seen through the years-with one huge twist: if I lose the match, I have to discard a player for every goal I lose by.
This isn't just about building a good team. It's about honoring football's elite while navigating restrictions, memories, and a limited budget (well… sort of). Here's how the team came together.
Kicking Off with FIFA 22-Enter Cristiano Ronaldo
We start strong by spinning FIFA 22, arguably one of the most stacked TOTS lineups ever. With names like Salah, Mané, and Van Dijk on the board, it's impossible to ignore the GOAT himself-Cristiano Ronaldo.
Card chosen: 95-rated Team of the Year Ronaldo
Price: 1.5 million coins
Why?: It's Ronaldo. And it's one of the best-value cards for this challenge.
Rewinding to FIFA 12-Prime Gareth Bale
Jumping all the way back to FIFA 12, the TOTS was a wild mix. Some legendary cards, some forgettable ones. But one name stands out: Gareth Bale. His 90-rated card dominated that year, and thankfully his Icon version still hits hard in FC 25.
Card chosen: 90-rated Immortal Icon Bale
Price: 214,000 coins
Position: Right-back-oddly perfect for the team setup
Modern Dominance in FC 25-Declan Rice Debuts
Our first pick from the current FC 25 season. Among stars like Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, we chose someone new to TOTS dominance-Declan Rice.
Card chosen: 96-rated TOTS Rice
Price: 800,000 FC 25 coins
Role: Midfield powerhouse with clean stats and top-tier playstyle boosts
Back to FIFA 21-Finally Time for Mo Salah
After passing up Salah in earlier years, FIFA 21 forces our hand. His 96-rated TOTS is too good to leave on the table.
Card chosen: 96-rated TOTS Salah
Price: 3.8 million coins
Notable Stats: Five-star skill moves, finesse shot+, and elite attacking power
Nostalgia Hits in FIFA 15-Hazard Time
We needed a left winger and FIFA 15 delivers a strong option: Eden Hazard, with one of the weirdest (but most loved) card designs in franchise history.
Card chosen: 94-rated Fantasy FC Hazard
Price: 1.7 million coins
Weakness: Lacks playstyle pluses, but still elite on the wing
Safe Hands from FIFA 13-Peter Čech Between the Sticks
With limited options from FIFA 13, it's a rare moment where goalkeeper is an easy pick. The Chelsea legend still shines in his Icon form.
Card chosen: Icon Čech
Price: 52,000 coins
Strength: Cheap, nostalgic, and reliable
Defensive Backbone from FIFA 14-Enter Vincent Kompany
Desperately needing a center-back, we turn to FIFA 14 and snag a Man City legend who defined defending for years.
Card chosen: TOTS Kompany
Price: Affordable, if not flashy
Notable: 82 pace-serviceable, though not meta by today's standards
Celebrating Arsenal with FIFA 23-Saliba's Spotlight
Another year, another center-back. This time we grab William Saliba, honoring his FIFA 23 TOTS appearance by buying his FC 25 card.
Card chosen: FC25 TOTS Saliba
Price: 1.6 million coins
Benefit: Strong link to Rice and one of the best defenders in the game
Midfield Maestro from FC 24-Rodri, the Ballon d'Or Winner
From FC 24, we're spoiled for choice, but Rodri's sheer dominance and 97-rated Team of the Year version is irresistible.
Card chosen: 97-rated TOTY Rodri
Price: 1.6 million coins
Effect: Adds elite control and defensive power to the midfield
Right-Back Revival from FIFA 20-Trent Alexander-Arnold
The long-awaited right-back spot is finally filled. And it had to be Trent from FIFA 20-peak attacking full-back play.
Card chosen: 94-rated TOTS Trent
Price: 90,000 coins (shockingly low for the stats)
Stats: Fast, technical, and great passing range
The Final Bench Squad: Filling the Subs
With the starting XI almost done, the final spins determined our substitutes:
FIFA 19: Sadio Mané-only an 86-rated card today, but a deserved legend on the bench
FIFA 18: Kevin De Bruyne-a versatile option if Salah or Rodri gets tired
FIFA 17: N'Golo Kanté-still one of the most likeable and reliable midfielders in football
Final Spin: FIFA 16-Jamie Vardy Leads the Line
The last piece of the puzzle? A striker. FIFA 16 was the Leicester miracle season, and Jamie Vardy earns his place with a 95-rated End of an Era card.
Card chosen: 95-rated EOE Vardy
Price: Completed via SBC
Impact: Adds the finishing touch (and pace) needed to complete the XIMatch Day: Can This Team Actually Win?
The challenge is simple but brutal: one discard per goal conceded. If I lose 3–0? Three legends get quicksold or SBC'd. Here's how the match went:
Kick-off woes: Accidentally picked two white kits. Confusing as hell.
First half: Chaos. But Vardy gets us on the board-1-0.
Opponent's style: Possession football… mind-numbing but effective.
Crucial saves and last-ditch tackles: Čech and Kompany show up.
Final whistle: 1-1 draw. And yes, that means one player gets discarded.
Final Thoughts
This challenge wasn't just about building a team. It was about remembering some of the most iconic cards in Premier League Ultimate Team history and seeing how they stack up in today's meta. It reminded me how far we've come in terms of gameplay, graphics, and card complexity-but also how much joy those early cards brought us.
MMOexp FC 25 Team