Hello again my dear readers, it's been a while! Hope all of you are well and safe!
PES2020 had been a downward slope for me overall, with the lack of offline event variety and legend releases being the real deal-breakers that almost prompted me to quit the game outright. Thankfully KONAMI fixed the latter half of the problem at the end of the season, sparked a wave of excitement for me and I got my hands on a few good legend players. To give credit where it's due, IMs were a touch of genius from KONAMI, as I believe they bring a nice balance between the dynamics of F2P and P2P. Moreover, permanently setting the conditions of legends and IMs to B is simply fantastic. Some of you in the sub believe legends have hidden stats; well, that's your hidden stats right there.
With PES2020 coming to a close, I think it's the time again to re-re-review every legend in my collection (I really hope you guys don't find these boring tbh, but I do really enjoy reviewing my legends) and give proper recognition to the new legends/IMs I gained. The departing Inter / Milan legends also deserve a proper send-off.
To those unfamiliar with my work, my review is purely subjective and your mileage may vary. The effectiveness of a player depends highly on the playstyle, formation and his teammates. Nevertheless, I rate players using a tier system (S > A > B > C etc.). I've also included reference ratings of popular base players for comparison and calibration. Anyone can compare stats on PESDB; in contrast, I try to focus less on the stats and convey how the player feels in actual gameplay.
For my regular followers, I'll avoid repeating myself as much as possible, keeping it short for old players unless I have new opinions about them. Some of you might find my reviews and ratings of certain players to have changed quite significantly this time, mostly due to difference in gameplay of PES2020 vs. previous iterations (e.g. nerfed skill moves, rise of finesse dribbling, nerfed passes etc). Here's a tiny tease to treat the fans: previously exclusive to Cruyff and Vieira, the S+ tier club now tentatively has 5 members! What are their identities? What's with the "tentativeness"? Read on to find out!
An important caveat is that I am a largely F2P & offline player. This means I have very limited access to coins and thus I do not own many IMs / coin-exclusive new legends. Needless to say I have not been lucky in the European legends free pulls, but I've emptied the latest box draws to get the most out of them. Sorry for the incomplete list but that's just the way I roll.
Just to be clear on my stance, I am all for the P2P exclusivity of IMs. In fact, let P2P have coin-exclusive box draws to make sure people get what they want without having to spend a mortgage. I just wish KONAMI can allow the use of GP in legend agents (non-guaranteed draws), so the F2P population has limited but farmable access to any future new legends released.
And without further ado, let the reviews begin!
Unless stated otherwise, all players reviewed below are legends and the reference players are base players. IMs will be explicitly stated. All players are rated by their performances at max level. GK (reference - - Alisson: A)
TOLDO: A I used to think of him quite poorly, and quite honestly he still sucked for me earlier this year. Not until recently when I played him again for this review when he finally started to play quite well, using his towering height to his full advantage. As if a last hurrah before getting removed.
Despite all that, I'm not unhappy to see him go, especially since I've got three copies of him waiting to Digivolve into Casillasmon. By the way, KONAMI, I have 3 Toldos and 4 Kahns in my squad. Can I have other non-dupe outfield players instead?
CECH: S- (tentative) I got Cech, along with several others on this list, very recently in the current box draw. Due to my limited experience of these players, I felt uneasy assigning a definitive rating to them. On the other hand, I didn't want to leave them out as I wanted to help players make their decision on whether to go for them or not. Hence I settled on the tentative rating and review, which should be treated more appropriately as my first impressions.
Cech has been stopping all kinds of shots for me. Powerful long rangers, point-blank first-timers, crosses, he's got them all covered. He's not the best when it comes to rushing out in one-on-ones, he manages to react in about half of those instances. Also he's dreadful against free kicks. His Low Punt skill, quite rare among legend GKs, come in handy quite often.
KAHN: S- Der Titan has considerably improved compared to PES19, thanks to the buff to defensive GK playstyle. He has been my starting GK for almost all-year. From experience he makes around two-thirds of shots on target against Superstar COM by my estimation, which is not bad at all! Kahn's strength lies in the fact that he's equally good staying on the line and rushing out (he charges at an astonishing pace too!), but the player has to consciously make the right decision. The more I use him, the better I get at noticing the subtle differences between shots that require rushing and shots that don't.
CB (reference - - Koulibaly: A; VVD: S-)
SAMUEL: C+ In this day and age, where you find featured Mbappes, Ronaldos and Rashfords in more teams than they are not, ol' Samuel is simply too slow to keep up. Pairing him with a defensively minded (non build-up) & fast CB might help slightly, or he might work with triple/quadruple CB formations, but that just goes to show how independently unreliable he is.
Adieu, Samuel. Unfortunately you will not be missed.
CAMPBELL: S- This ex-GB may be upgraded to BB, but his in-game performance seems slightly worse than PES19, when he used to be nigh unstoppable in the air. Again, this may be due to the opponents he's against (looking at you featured Ronaldo/Lewa). That said, with his decent speed and tackling, he's still one of the better defenders in the game.
BERGOMI: S Got this underrated gem in the European legends draw and has grown quite attached. His skillset is frankly quite extraordinary. He is one of the fastest CBs out there, which makes him excellent in tracking back and covering for the defence. It also makes him an excellent full back as well. His defensive ability is solid, with strong positioning and physicality. He scores additional points for breathtaking long-rangers, even netting several match-winners for me which I'd never forget. Tackles are not first-rate, which is his major setback.
Despite my short time with him, he is one of the three players whose departure greatly saddens me. And the saddest part? I already own all the possible replacements that we know of so far.
MALDINI: S Still remember getting him in PES18 and he single-handedly revolutionized my defence. The most all-rounded and versatile out of all my defenders, he always finds a place in any defensive line-up. You can literally pair him with any other CB and he'll play well. I was scared af by the thought of losing him but thankfully he survives the snap.
PUYOL: S This is the second (and final) player I managed to get from the free European legends agents. He's the only player I hoped to get and I was lucky to get him for free. Growing up watching invincible Barca made me respect him as a player. He's also the closest I can get to legendary Chelsea captain Terry, both in terms of playing style and aura of captaincy.
Digressions aside, Puyol is magnificent in the game. He has one of the highest accelerations among CBs, and together with his positioning he is rarely off his mark. His tackles, particularly his standing tackles, are absolutely the best, even ahead of Maldini. Practically steals the ball anywhere near him. He is also majestic in the air and a constant corner threat. Could not have been more happy with him.
BECKENBAUER: S+ (tentative) Before I go on, I should really stress that I only obtained him for a week, but what I've seen so far has already convinced me to place him in the S+ tier.
In defence, he is performing at the same level as Maldini. Clean tackles, majestic headers and plenty of interceptions due to his masterful ability to read the game. His speed is top-notch among CBs, and he's been showcasing his ability to track back and defend. He's also surprisingly good in the air.
What makes him unique is his offensive capabilities. Even when playing as CB, he charges forward aggressively, with a frequency unmatched by any other so-called offensive CBs like Pique or Ramos. The CB closest to him in offence is perhaps Bergomi, in terms of their finishing and speed, but that's where the similarities end. He has an acute positional sense, pinpoint passing and reliable goalscoring. To put it simply, Beckenbauer has the complete skill set of an AMF.
His 85-rated stamina is often drained around the 80-minute mark, but that is just a testament to the amount of ground he covers. Like his German compatriot Matthaus, his Fighting Spirit skill also helps keeping his performance consistent until the final whistle. I suppose the only problem with Der Kaiser is that playing him in CB is putting his attacking talent to waste, and when he joins the attack there's no guarantee he can make it back in time to defend every threat. For these reasons, he is exceptional at DMF/CMF. I've yet to experiment playing him in other positions like RB/AMF, but I'm pretty sure he excels in whatever position he's being deployed.
LB/RB (reference - - TAA: A)
LIZARAZU: A (tentative) So far he has been fairly consistent in defence, despite his unimpressive defensive stats; his pace and stamina makes up for his lack of tackling and interception abilities. Nothing to complain about his offensive game either. A solid alternative to Carlos given the limited choice of legendary full-backs.
CARLOS: A The Brazillian full-back has been solid for me. His work-rate has been excellent, but lately he's been the sort of silent contributor that's hard to notice or appreciate. A tackle here, a run there, but he's not really doing a lot in terms of attacking and crosses. His presence is noticeable but not dazzling. He is also a quality LMF. As for free kick takers, I have better choices.
ZANETTI: S He is a rock-solid defender who actively charges forward when there's space available, but also knows when to fall back and cover defensive gaps. His endless stamina befits his nickname of El Tractor. His crossing is also impeccable.
I'll likely be getting Cafu as a replacement, but Zanetti's imminent departure from the franchise leaves a gaping hole in my squad and in my heart.
DMF (reference - - Busquets: B+)
PETIT: B- An average player for all intents and purposes. Interestingly, he positions himself like an Anchor Man despite his playstyle, meaning he stays at the back more often, which suits me just fine. His tackling is merely average; it's sometimes frustrating with him as I find him in good positions more often than most DMFs on this list, but he does so little when given the chance.
PIRLO: B+ Pirlo, Pirlo, why do you pains me so? I really, really liked Pirlo irl. So much so that I've written
a long piece about him (and if you haven't done so already, I recommend giving it a read, as it is the piece of work I'm most proud of).
Months have passed and my review of him is largely the same. His defense sucks just as his stats suggest, and his passes and dribbles are not as perfect as his stats seem to suggest. On the other hand, he charges forward quite often and his runs are great. As a result, he's been scoring consistently in open play in addition to his deadly free kicks. His long range curlers from the edge of the box has also been a regular source of goals.
The Italian Maestro is an enigma. He is not your typical DMF. He contributes more offensively than defensively, so bear that in mind when you balance your squad. I would say he functions like a CMF/AMF in terms of offence vs defence.
IM PIRLO: A- Apparently KONAMI must have read my article of base Pirlo and rewards me with an IM, coz that's the only IM I've got from the recent free draws so far.
Stats-wise, his IM version is nearly identical to his regular version when maxed. In play, IM Pirlo is visibly better at his defensive duties, although still way behind the usual standards of a typical DMF. Offensively, his long range power shots now find the target more often than they did before. Overall the way he plays feel the same, and the IM is just a minor upgrade. You're not missing out if you have the legend version.
CAMBIASSO: A- A very defensive-minded player who arguably plays better as a CB. He's simply great at defending, very all-rounded in most defensive aspects. The problem with him lies in his lack of contributions to the build up play. He's usually unwilling to move, and that makes me feel I'm missing a midfielder to link up my play, consistently missing one passing option. Also when he decides to involve himself, his low passes (especially through balls) are nowhere as accurate as his stats would make you believe. Similar to Pirlo, he nails one half of the prerequisites for a great DMF, only to absolutely flop the other half.
As solid as he his, there are better DMFs out there so I'm not too sad to say goodbye to the Argentine.
INAMOTO: A I was initially skeptical when KONAMI gifted me a GB legend; when I tried him out, I only regretted not having done so sooner. He's got a very balanced skill set that enables him to contribute in both defending and attacking. He's got good marking and tackling, can pass the ball well, and can score bangers from range. One of the main duties of my DMFs is to scoop up the loose ball after the opponent defence heads the ball clear in corners, and I notice Inamoto does this extremely reliably. His main drawback is his unimposing stature, meaning he gets outmuscled quite often and concedes possession.
VIEIRA: S+ If you have been in this sub for a while, you would have seen everyone sing praises about him, myself included. This legend deserves every bit of praise he gets, and he simply cannot be better. An absolute monster in defence, with an often overlooked eye for long rangers. The man once scored a hat trick during the first half of a campaign game. This truly extraordinary player proudly retains his position in the S+ tier club.
CMF (reference - - S.M.Savic / Kante: A)
SCHOLES: C+ In stark contrast to the next player on the list, Scholesy is often nowhere to be seen. Sometimes I even forget he's on the pitch. You read his stats and you think, I could do with a complete player like him, and then he turns out to be a complete....disaster. With his playstyle he hangs in the back, but he's terrible at tackling, man marking and headers. Passing play with him is a nightmare, he's either too slow or unwilling to move when he's on the receiving end of a pass. Even his trademark cannonballs are gone; I tried three shots with him just at the edge of the box and none of them ended up on target, and that was during an exhibition match at Regular difficulty. I was thrilled to see him in a GP box draw, and could not be more disappointed.
Despite my one-sided rants above, I'm perhaps in the minority among the sub when it comes to opinions on Scholes.
u/big_rom9 once commented he also had problems playing IM Scholes at CMF, but eventually playing him well as SS. Personally yet to try this out, and if anyone has done so please share your experience in the comments! I've also read there's a rather large disparity between his IM and legend versions.
MATTHAUS: S- The German has always been one of my top players, but his performance this year slightly dipped compared to previous years. His positioning seems a bit off, and his inability to withhold the ball under pressure has never been more apparent. Despite all that, he's still covering miles like the Kante meme, and his interceptions, passes and assists are still top-notch.
LMF/RMF (reference - - Asensio: A)
PIRES: B+ The Frenchman makes good runs, but does very little with it. His finishing is good but not great, and he can't really cross with his weaker left foot. He took a big hit when skill moves were nerfed, and he lost the means of cutting into the middle and score, like a reverse Robben in the left wing.
IM PIRES: A The IM stat boost here really shows! His runs are much more effective thanks to the hefty boost in offensive awareness, and his finishing is considerably improved by his swerve and kicking power. Unlike his legend counterpart, Pires has become a real goalscoring threat, and defenders will be punished for leaving him alone.
NEDVED: A I've always held Nedved in very high regard but lately his renowned long rangers have been lacking in accuracy. It is funny how most of his contribution is tied to his goalscoring; take that away and I'm still left with a versatile midfielder with an incredible workrate, but he's just not the same. He's an omnipresent passing option when your team has the ball, but he does little to help win possession back, so basically he's Matthaus halved.
BECHKAM (aged 27): A Becks is a textbook example of a classic winger: he runs into wide spaces and crosses with pinpoint accuracy. Conversely, play him as a left CMF or left AMF (not many formations have those though), and be amazed by the accuracy of his curlers from range. I still get mad when I see him at DMF just for his OVR though. I toy around him when I see him at DMF in campaign matches. Not even Superstar COM can make him good there, and you know something's gone wrong.
PARK JI-SUNG: A+ The South Korean legend is undoubtedly the best Asian player in the game! He has so much in common with Nedved in PES18: endless stamina (I'm almost convinced his stamina is around 150, judging from his stamina bar at the end of a match), quick on his feet, close ball control, strong passing game, and incredible versatility. Don't let his measly finishing stats fool you too. I've been shooting with him from 20 - 25 yards from goal and getting used to see them fly in untouched. It really goes to show how unreliable stats are; or to look at it another way, how the performance of legends can really catch you by surprise!
AMF (reference - - Mount: B; featured Messi (no.10 campaign): S) (sorry I haven't been using a lot of base players as AMF)
VAN DER VAART: C Dude's slow. Like, REEEEALLY SLOWWWW. His terrible attacking positioning also does not help at all. Despite his decent passing and goalscoring ability, Van der Vaart is a beaming symbol of a old-fashioned playstyle that has been rendered powerless by the current, physical footballing climate.
DECO: C+ (tentative) Another AMF with terrible offensive positioning that I did not enjoy using. Deco's slowness is less prominent as he can dribble past defenders, yet that same defender will rapidly catch up and force Deco to pass the ball away. His passing and finishing is slightly worse than Van der Vaart. Notably, he is a rare AMF with the Creative Playmaker style rather than CN10. If you are a fan of that style you might want to check him out, but he's a hard no for me.
ONO: B- I was surprised to see KONAMI releasing a 94-rated legend for free, but his stats wildly overestimates his ability on the pitch. He's just a normal midfielder that has above average dribbling, passes decently and nothing really impressive up his sleeve.
DJORKAEFF: B- I used to think highly of him due to his excellent dribbling, but that aspect of him has been nerfed to the ground. Marseille Turn is like an open invitation for tackles, and finess dribbling without physicality to back it up is often disastrous. He remaining strength lies in his surprisingly clinical finishing.
You can probably guess I'm perfectly fine with him getting replaced. The problem is I already own every single legend AMF (I believe), so hopefully KONAMI releases somebody new straight at launch!
GULLIT: B+ If Gullit was just an AMF, I would rate him a B at most. Gullit's biggest strength is his versatility. He's a strong CF with a powerful right foot and great in the air. He's a good CMF/DMF with a strong tackling and intercepting game, coupled with highly effective finesse dribbling thanks to his physical strength. His performance is surprisingly consistent at CB, making tackles ably and great in the air. Did I mention he's great in the air?
NAKATA: B+ Nakata is a surprisingly effective attacker. For me, he plays his best games on either wing. If you have access to one of those rare triple AMF formations, play him on either side; otherwise, he's decent at LMF/RMF, but not as great in central AMF. The timing of his runs are excellent, and he can finish from range. His stamina also keeps him effective for the entire game.
IM NAKAMURA: A- I recall seeing him in a box draw, and with mountains of GP to spare I decided to go all-in, only to get him in my second try. The renowned free-kick specialist is just as deadly in the game; not quite as godly as Becks or Pirlo, but still comparable with Messi in that regard. His finishing is quite strong in open play, and he's a technically gifted playmaker.
RONALDINHO (GB, aged 39): A I originally thought of including him as a bit of a joke, and spent the cash to get him fully expecting him to be quite useless (look at what I'll do for you guys!). Turns out, Grandpa Dinho with the Nike headband is not to be messed with. In a world where Busquets can outrun Messi (a.k.a. campaigns), Ronaldinho still manages to outpace defenders with his speed bursts at a ripe old age of thirty-nine and sporting a rather large belly (irl). His long rangers are absolutely lethal. Unsurprisingly, his main drawback is his stamina not lasting the entire match, which is very understandable, to say the least. During the limited time he's on the pitch, his impact is quite remarkable.
ZICO: A+ I notoriously criticized Zico in one of my earlier entries, and since then the White Pele has been consistently improving. Like Nakata, he is most effective on the wing (wide AMF or SS), where his devastating runs and finesse shots are in full effect, and he avoids the amount of pressure he faces when he is deployed in the center.
RONALDINHO: S If Ronaldinho way past his prime is that good, surely he should be great in his prime? Indeed he is unstoppable, being one of the best finesse dribblers in the game and a deadly eye for goal. He plays as well on the wings as he does in the middle, and when it comes to beating defenders, he has a vast array of options to choose from, be it dazzling dribbles or sudden bursts of speed. In terms of offensive skills, he is the complete package.
If I have one reservation about him, it is his inability to transform the players around him. He shines brightly on his own, but there's only so much a single player can do. He's not a gamechanger, if that makes any sense.
RIVALDO: S+ As someone once said, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get". And in the Brazillian's case, what I got was a perfect offensive player comparable to Cruyff, which are words I never thought I would attribute to a CN10.
Rivaldo is another example that demonstrates the inadequacy of stats in measuring player quality. Contrary to all common stereotypes of CN10s, Rivaldo charges forward all the time, whenever he gets the chance, and always with impeccable timing. His long rangers find the back of the net nine times out of ten. His amazing first touch is reminiscent of Cruyff, where he switches from the receiving end of a pass to a playmaking position in one swift, fluid motion. For those who are complaining about Cruyff being absent in the recent draws, Rivaldo was the next best thing.
Compared to the Dutch grandmaster, Rivaldo is definitely slower, but he makes it up with superior powerful shots. Either way, both S+ tier players have the transformative property that revitalizes the entire offence, bringing out the best in every attacker.
LWF/RWF (reference - - Sterling / Sancho: A; Messi / Ronaldo: S)
GIULY: B- (tentative) In the short time since I've got him, he has yet to impress me. His picture shares an uncanny resemblance with the ex-Chelsea player Pedro, and the same can be said for his play. He's just a fairly average winger with decent speed and crossing, but he doesn't make intelligent runs as often as I would expect from a Hole Player.
He's another player to be replaced that I probably won't miss. Since the only eligible replacement so far is Figo, I'd say it's worth it to go for Guily if you haven't got Figo yet.
FIGO: S Now that I've established how players like Nedved and Scholes, experts of their craft, can mess up their long range shooting all the time, the ability to reliably score from outside the box suddenly seem all the more valuable, and Figo does that masterfully with either foot. His long rangers (both power and finesse) are a joy, and his dribbling is elegant and effective. His versatility among the offensive ranks is remarkable. His movement off the ball and accurate passing also allows solid buildup play. He's a breath of fresh air in contrast to speedsters like Sane and Sancho, but this also means I had to adjust my play style to get the best out of him. Overall the Portuguese is a phenomenal winger.
SS (reference - - Dybala: A; Joao Felix: A+)
RECOBA: B+ A striker with a deadly left foot and incredible curl. Unfortunately, his passing is below average for an SS, and he has to be subbed after an hour or so.
I've had a decent time with him, but I'm not at all unhappy to see him get replaced. Several top-tier SSs are still missing in my squad and I'd be thrilled to get my hands on any one of them.
TOTTI: A The Italian genius plays unlike any other SS on the list. He is considerably stronger than the rest, while his speed and dribbling is sub-par. To use him well, I had to rely on my passing game, which hasn't been the most reliable in PES2020.
BEBETO: A+ Bebeto wrecks havoc in dangerous areas with his runs, sensational dribbles and low centre of gravity. His ambidexterity makes him highly effective on either wing. He is also a great assister thanks to his One-touch Pass ability. His celebration never gets old.
MARADONA: S I feel like I don't have to elaborate on the strengths of Diego Maradona. The reason he's not S+ is similar to Ronaldinho: the brilliance is in himself and himself only.
IM MARADONA: S Maradona's free IM version is the most generous guaranteed player KONAMI has ever gifted for free. Despite inferior stats, his ranged shots curl right into the net reliably like his older counterpart. The increased pace and stamina of IM Maradona also balances out his weaker dribbling and passing. Overall the two players are similarly effective in my opinion.
CRUYFF: S+ Again, it feels silly to explain why the Dutch legend is S+ tier. He is simply the most complete attacker in the game with no apparent weaknesses. The kind of player to build a squad around and can turn the tide of a game.
CF (reference - - Auba: A-, Jovic/Kane: A; Haaland: A+; Aguero: S-; Mbappe: S)
YORKE / COLE: B- The Man Utd twins play so similarly I've decided to group them together. "Adequate" is the word that describes them most adequately, pun intended. Both players are moderately strong, mildly clinical, somewhat quick and position themselves quite well. They have a bit of everything in a typical CF's skillset, but nothing stands out at all.
KLUIVERT: B At least some clear strengths on this one. The Dutchman is splendid in the air. He's also one of the better dribblers among CFs. On the flip side, he seldom makes useful runs so he's almost restricted to the crossing playstyle.
MASSARO: B+ An often overlooked CF due to his low OVR of 89. His finishing is clinical, positioning is surprisingly solid and he has the strength to withhold the ball. He plays like an ambidextrous Giroud, though weaker in the air.
Since I've got most of the GB CFs, I'm not sure how I feel to see him go. It would be great if I get Inzaghi in exchange, but I believe I've already got all the other good ones.
KOLLER: B+ (tentative) Aerially dominant just as one would expect of a 2-metre forward. He reminds me of playing PES on the console back in the old days in 2004-05, when crossing was basically OP with Chelsea/Inter. Any cross that reaches Koller basically guarantees a header on target, although the Superstar GKs nowadays tend to save most of those. His right-footed finish isn't half bad either. The best thing about him is his Super-Sub skill, which makes him a great player on the bench and nearly always in top form when subbed in.
SALAS: B+ Salas resembles a SS more than a CF. He's a great retainer and passer of the ball, and his finishing is exceptional; yet, he falls back to support the build up quite often, and he's usually not the one who makes the mazing runs that tear across defences. He mostly scores from one-twos or back passes from a holding forward, someone like his devastating Chilean partner irl. He excels in double CF formations, but don't expect him to perform well on his own.
ZAMORANO: A Zamorano is an exemplary predator. There's nothing flashy about him, he just gets into the right position and scores. His finishing is top-notch with either power or finesse, despite his stats heavily leaning into the former. The reason he's not higher up on the tier list is occasionally he can be completely contained by a top-tier defender (e.g. Featured Koulibaly).
OWEN: A You don't have to look hard to notice his uncanny similarity with Aguero. Both men are deadly strikers with low centres of gravity, devastating runs and clinical finishes. Owen's blinding speed looks good on paper, but in reality often does not work when he's being marked by a quick CB. He is often outmuscled during his runs and dispossessed by the slightest of tackles, so he desparately needs another CF / hole player / dummy runner to draw away pressure from him. However, with his top-notch finishing, he converts reliably when he's free from his mark. He is also a surprisingly strong assister.
ADRIANO: A+ The archetypal power forward with beastly strength, speed and shot power. Sadly, Adriano will never be S tier material when he consistently runs out of steam near the hour mark.
He's probably the closest to Ronaldo Nazario we'll ever get, and he will be sorely missed alongside Zanetti and Bergomi. I do hope I get a nice non-duplicate as replacement though.
BATISTUTA: S- Among all the forwards on the list, Batigol is the most complete player and my go-to choice in single CF formations. He's like the Swiss army knife of CFs, he can do everything extremely well: he can score with power or finesse with either feet, he is a threat in the air, he has strength to retain the ball under pressure, he makes great runs and has enough stamina to last an entire match.
LAW: S Law is OP in very specific areas: spatial awareness, runs and finishing. Basically like an ambidextrous Zamorano on steroids. What he does have is a very particular set of skills. Skills that make him a nightmare for all defenders alike. If there's a space in the defence or a loose ball around, he will look for it, he will find it, and he will score a goal out of it.
Like Zamorano, his playstyle is atypical and there's a bit of a learning curve. But when you eventually get past it, boy you are in for a ride.
Annoyingly, the AI often auto-subs him off for no apparent reason during half time despite he's still full of stamina. This only happens to Law and I'm still yet to figure out why.
ROMARIO: S+ A lot of people on the sub have recently got hold of Romario in the box draw, and have finally recognized the beauty of this endgame striker. He is simply the best at putting the ball into the net. His incredible speed, unyielding strength and remarkable finishing makes him the most consistent goalscoring threat in my entire legends squad. The more CFs I got, the more I appreciated how rare his remarkable goalscoring ability is. It's unfair but true that goalscoring is the first and foremost way a player can impact the results of a match, so I felt the best player in this department deserves a place in the prestigious S+ club.
And that is the end of my lengthy review! Hopefully this gives an idea of whether to go all-in for a box draw or not. Thanks for sticking with me to the very end! Cheers everyone!
...........Sad to see this end? Well let's keep it going with a bonus feature! The top 5 released legends on my wishlist!
- Del Piero
A potentially endgame attacker who's just as good at creating goals as scoring them. Looking forward to his amazing curved shots!
- Van Basten
Probably the best CF alongside Romario according to this sub, Van Basten's stats certainly live up to his hype, but we all know how dangerously unreliable stats are...
- Inzaghi
Surprised to see him ahead of MVB? Inzaghi is one of the rare legends, alongside Koller, to have the Super-Sub skill, and together with his permanent B condition he'll be constantly in top-form. His 99 attacking awareness and finishing also sounds like pure gold.
- Rummenigge
Hailed by the sub as the next Cruyff, I certainly had a hard time defending against him. He seems to be another true all-round attacker which can strengthen any squad.
- Lampard
Can you blame me as a Chelsea fan? He will always be a true legend close to my heart, and I am dying to experience his incredible goalscoring ability (please don't mess this up KONAMI, although from what I've heard on this sub he seems to be fineeeeeee). I once predicted him to be worse than Matthaus, but upon release Lampard seems even better! His Hole Player playing style and complete stats looks like my dream come true.
Having said all that, KONAMI wil likely stick to their trend of releasing new legends in 2021. There's already a plethora of attackers in the pool, so I desperately hope to see more representation among CBs (e.g. Terry, Cannavaro, Nesta, Ferdinand, Vidic), keepers (Yashin, Zoff, Banks, Schmeichel), full-backs (Lahm, Thuram, Neville, Cole) and CMFs (Charlton, Keane, Gerrard, Seedorf). It's also sad to notice not a single African have joined the ranks of Legends, even though there's a literal gold mine out there (Weah, Drogba, Essien, Eto'o, Toure).
And this really is the end of this piece, everyone. Not gonna lie, feeling a bit nervous as this is my first full post in months, but it's been fun writing once again. To new members of the sub, if you liked my content, there are more entries of the Maintenance Magazine just one search away. For now, my friends, stay safe, be well, and have a lovely maintenance day.
EDIT: if the data miners are right, looks like I'm getting no. 2 and 5 on my wishlist!
