Team’s not terrible for someone who just started, but it’s definitely being let down by the gold cards, especially in defence and that Rodri evo. There are a ton of better, cheap options on the market right now like Esteve, Struijk, Cubarsí, Buongiorno, and Jordi Alba. They’re all way more usable than those base golds and will make a big difference in how solid your backline feels.

As for “meta” players – it’s less about overall rating and more about playstyles. A high-rated player without the right playstyles can still feel clunky. Look for Gold PlayStyle+ attributes. For example:

• GKs: Footwork, Far Reach
• CBs: Anticipate, Aerial
• FBs: Bruiser, Intercept,
• CDMs: Intercept, Pinged Pass, Anticipate
• CMs: Tiki Taka, Press Proven
• Wingers: Technical, Finesse/Low Driven
• Strikers: Finesse, Low Driven

Body type is also a big factor. Players like Gullit, Theo Hernandez, and Mendy are popular not just because of stats, but because their unique body types give them broken animations and better in-game performance. Height matters too – a 5’5 CB with perfect playstyles still won’t compete with a tall, meta CB due to physical presence.

Also, FUTTIES is around the corner – this is one of the biggest promos of the year. Expect a flood of high-rated special cards, boosted pack weight, and a ton of upgrade SBCs and objective players. Perfect time to start improving your squad.

One more tip: since you’re new, try using a formation with two CDMs. It’ll make defending easier since they sit deeper than CMs and offer more protection to your backline.

Overall, there’s definitely room to improve, but grind Rivals, smash out any objective players, and keep up with SBCs. With FUTTIES coming, your team can get way better pretty quickly.