FC 25 Best Grassroot Greats Cards

Grassroot Greats was released in February 2025 after the success of Team of the Year (TOTY) and Future Stars in EA Sports FC 25. The promo celebrated players who did not come from elite academies, instead forging their way to greatness through a battle against adversity. Talk about perseverance.

When they announced the promo, EA Sports said they wanted to honour "past and present players who have risen from local leagues, university programs, and lower tiers of the football pyramid." They added that they prove "greatness can come from anywhere."

Grassroots Greats items have improved chemistry, giving two points for their club, league and nation. They embody the essence of local football culture — and, with the promo now over, we have decided to rank the nine best Grassroot Greats cards. Current players, Heroes and even Icons were released, so this list provides a mixture of all three. From potrero pitches to the lower divisions, greatness can emerge from anywhere.

Ranking Factors
Price - It's a strong indicator of whether a player is world-class.
Rating and stats - The higher they are, the better.
PlayStyles - They separate the elite from the legends.

1. Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona is back. One of the greatest Argentine players of all time is available in the EA Sports universe after a three-year hiatus. He was removed as an Icon in 2022 due to a 'third party legal dispute', but – to celebrate their Grassroots promo – the legendary playmaker returned.

Maradona's story has symbolised the nature and legendary status of Argentine football — and this card is also considered one of the best in EAFC 25 at the moment. It costs 6.7m, but that's not exactly shocking when you realise he has 94 Reactions, 97 Ball Control and 98 Dribbling. That's only the start of the story as well.

2. Franck Ribery 

Franck Ribery's life could have been incredibly different. At the age of two, he and his family were involved in a car accident. He suffered serious facial injuries that resulted in more than one hundred stitches, including two long scars down the right side of his face. It didn't stop his football career, thankfully.

To celebrate his remarkable rise, Ribery was given a superb 93-rated Grassroot Greats card. It costs 2.2m, but he has two PlayStyle+, Technical and Quick Step, whilst his stats do the talking elsewhere. With 93 Agility, 92 Balance and 90 Reactions, there's no doubt one of the greatest French players of all time is world-class.

3.  Paulo Dybala 

Paulo Dybala, now at AS Roma, has now been blessed with four impressive special cards in EAFC 25. Even his base gold card was impressive at the start of the game's cycle, and now the Argentine can truly compete against anyone with this world-class Grassroot Greats card.

Unsurprisingly, he's expensive at 2.5m, but that cost is justified when you look at his stats. From 93 Agility and 95 Balance to 92 Attacking Positioning and 92 Finishing, the Argentine is built for every situation. That's before you even consider that he has two brilliant PlayStyle+, Finesse Shot and Technical.

4.  Jaap Stam 

Jaap Stam is most well-known for his three-year spell at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson. He helped them win the Premier League three years in a row, but the Dutchman's early career spell in his native country was an act of perseverance as well, which is why he was included in the promo.

With 95 Stand Tackle, 93 Composure and 90 Sprint Speed, the aggressive centre-back seems to be built for every situation. That means his price tag of 2.2m isn't too excessive, especially when you consider he has two of the best PlayStyles in the game – Jockey and Bruiser. 

5.  Ferland Mendy 

6.  Alexis Mac Allister 

When Brighton signed an unknown Argentine midfielder from Argentinos Juniors, no one ever expected him to become a World Cup winner. They're hardly a major club in the country, but Alexis Mac Allister proved everyone wrong, eventually earning a move to likely 2024/25 Premier League champions Liverpool.

His Grassroot Greats card in EAFC 25 can be acquired for a costly – but worthwhile – price of 1.3m, whilst he has two PlayStyle+, Incisive Pass and Pinged Pass. The Argentine can play as a box-to-box midfielder or slightly deeper and, with every face stat above 86, it's clear to see he'll shine with any position he's utilised in. 

7. Ian Wright 

Ian Wright, the first of several Icons on this list, was an inspiration during his playing career. He was 22 years old when he signed his first professional contract, and it wasn't until he was 25 that he made his First Division debut. That's hard to believe in the modern-day, but he still had a world-class career.

It's clear to see why he was included in this promo, and he was given a stunning card in the process. The 93-rated striker can be picked up for 1.7m and he has two PlayStyle+ – Press Prone and Quick Step. Stats such as 96 Attacking Positioning, 97 Finishing and 93 Shot Power showcase that Wright must be man-marked in the box. 

8.  Ronald Araujo 

From one current player nearing the end of his career to one about to reach his prime. Barcelona seem to be consistently inconsistent under Hansi Flick, and Ronald Araujo – at his best – is a key player for the German manager. He had an incredible rise to the top as well.

His Grassroot Greats card can be picked up for the expensive price of 1m, but he has two PlayStyle+ – Block and Anticipate – whilst stats such as 90 Defensive Awareness, 91 Stand Tackle and 91 Slide Tackle allow him to dominate even the world's best attackers in the box. If you need an aggressive centre-back, look towards Araujo. 

9.  N'Golo Kante 

N'Golo Kante was released as a Squad Building Challenge (SBC) during the promo, and the Al Ittihad star immediately impressed the EAFC community. While he isn't as well-rounded as other central midfielders available for a similar price, Kante feels incredibly overpowered in-game.

The saying "70% of the earth is covered by water, and the rest is by N'Golo Kante" has always epitomised the former Chelsea star's work-rate — and this card proves that. He simply doesn't stop running, whilst he has two PlayStyle+ – Press Prone and Anticipate – to help him perform. For just 700k, Kante's SBC can – and should – be completed. 

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