Welcome to our weekly round-up of the best players in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team over the past seven days!
We've seen the World Cup content continue to be rolled out, with the World Cup Stories cards dropping, some WC Showdown SBCs and WC Icons Team 2 - as well as a couple of Player of the Month items.
So, who do we think are the best cards of the lot? Read on to find out.
Honourable Mentions
Before we get to the top spots, there are some names that have to be highlighted from the week gone by - and they're not all new releases!
WC Path to Glory Joao Palhinha (OVR 89)
Joao Palhinha gained a Path to Glory card via SBC which many in the community didn't rate highly.
However, if you were one of the people to invest (setting you back around 140,000 coins), you will now have an 89 OVR defensive destroyer in your club, thanks to the latest PTG upgrades.
Stick a Shadow on him and he has the stats of a 94-rated CB or a 92-rated CDM.
He might not be lightning quick or the most agile around, but as a defensive shield (or dropped in at CB) there aren't many who can compete, as he bulldozers through the game!
WC Showdown Steven Bergwijn (OVR 88)
He already looked like a pretty great card, but once the Netherlands beat the USA (as everyone expected them to do!) Steven Berwijn's WC Showdown card went to the next level.
With the base stats of an 89-rated card, you can up that to a 93-rated one with various chem styles.
The Dutchman can do everything you'd want for an attacking player and can play anywhere along the line, or behind a striker.
For 50,000 coins, he looks like a steal, although playing in the Eredivisie does let him down slightly.
WC Showdown Marcos Acuna (Pending OVR 88)
Our final Honourable Mention goes to another World Cup Showdown player, this time Marcos Acuna.
A renowned card in Ultimate Team, the Argentine comes with great stats all-round as you would expect.
Stick a Shadow on him and you have a 90-rated LB, although he could play most places on the pitch.
With an upgrade incoming, you may regret not completing this SBC!
3rd - WC Stories Aymeric Laporte (OVR 89)
Into the top three players of the week and we start off with one from the main promo - World Cup Stories Aymeric Laporte.
At the time of writing, he will set you back around 340,000 coins, which won't be in the price range for many, but the reason for that is he is one of the best CBs around!
His defensive stats are brilliant, he doesn't lack pace and he is pretty handy on the ball too.
Add a Shadow or Anchor and he has the stats of a 94-rated CB, and he has top chemistry links to some of the best cards around.
2nd - WC Showdown Luke Shaw (OVR 86)
Our third and final World Cup Showdown inclusion, this time for England's Luke Shaw.
Similar in ways to Acuna, Shaw has far better defensive capabilities than the Argentine.
Stick a Shadow on Shaw and he has the stats of a 91-rated player, although we would be more inclined to give him an Anchor and use him in a back three (in-game, as he doesn't have CB as an alternate position).
If he gets the +2 upgrade then it will be a brilliant card!
1st - WC Stories Olivier Giroud (OVR 87)
France's new all-time top scorer, World Cup Stories Olivier Giroud is a gem!
Despite having an 87 OVR, he is hiding the stats of a 90-rated player.
That can be upped to the stats of a 94 OVR if you give him the Deadeye or Finisher chemistry style, although a Hunter gives him 93 PAC (stats of a 93 OVR), or give him a Hawk to go all in on making him a target man (with the stats of a 92 OVR).
The fan favourite is always rewarded with an awesomely upgraded card and this year he has gained a peach!
With 80 agility and balance, he won't feel cumbersome at all, and the massive pace upgrade of +43 compared to his Gold card makes him almost unrecognisable.
He is going for around 50,000 coins on the transfer market, which is cheap for this quality card, and we see him being usable for a good few months still.
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