To give EA FC 26 players something to grind towards during TOTY, Marcelo was chosen as the promo’s first Icon SBC.
But as the game also welcomed a high-end Sophia Wilson Flashback, does the Real Madrid legend perform well enough to justify the investment over a meta attacker? And if you are adamant about it either way, is it possible to complete him without breaking a leg? Here’s how to complete the TOTY Icon Marcelo SBC in EA FC 26, and a quick review of the card for those still on the fence.
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EA FC 26 TOTY Icon Marcelo SBC Solution
Available until February 6th, 2026, TOTY Marcelo is EA FC 26‘s most expensive Icon SBC to date and demands a total of 12 squads, valued at around 1.8 million coins total. As you can see below, four of them must be 89-rated, while the final challenge demands a 90-rated team. You will also need six Team Of The Year representatives, so save up.
| Challenge | Squad Requirements | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| On a Loan | 84+ Team Rating | 4x 82’s, 6x 84’s, and 1x 86-rated players |
| Los Blancos | 86+ Team Rating Must feature at least 1x TOTW and 1x Real Madrid player | 3x 87’s, 3x 86’s, and 5x 84-rated players |
| 87-Rated Squad | 87+ Team Rating | 3x 88’s, 4x 87’s, and 4x 84-rated players |
| Top-notch | 87+ Team Rating Must feature at least 1x TOTW | 3x 88’s, 4x 87’s, and 4x 84-rated players |
| 87-Rated Squad | 87+ Team Rating Must feature at least 1x TOTW | 3x 88’s, 4x 87’s, and 4x 84-rated players |
| 88-Rated Squad | 88+ Team Rating | 1x 90, 2x 89’s, 2x 88’s, and 6x 86-rated players. |
| 88-Rated Squad | 88+ Team Rating Must feature at least 1x TOTW | 1x 90, 2x 89’s, 2x 88’s, and 6x 86-rated players. |
| 89-Rated Squad | 89+ Team Rating | 2x 87’s, 3x 88’s, 4x 89’s, and 2x 90’s |
| 89-Rated Squad | 89+ Team Rating | 2x 87’s, 3x 88’s, 4x 89’s, and 2x 90-rated players |
| 89-Rated Squad | 89+ Team Rating Must feature at least 1x TOTW | 2x 87’s, 3x 88’s, 4x 89’s, and 2x 90-rated players |
| 89-Rated Squad | 89+ Team Rating Must feature at least 1x TOTW | 2x 87’s, 3x 88’s, 4x 89’s, and 2x 90-rated players |
| 90-Rated Squad | 90+ Team Rating | 3x 88’s, 3x 89’s, 2x 90’s, and 3x 91-rated players |
EA FC 26 TOTY Marcelo Review
Thanks to his 91 PAC, 90 DEF, as well as his Jockey, Intercept, and Anticipate+ combo, TOTY Marcelo is a complete LB capable of shutting down any attacker, be it on the run or in 1v1s. Unlike his Base and Champions versions, he also has Fullback++, making him one of, if not the, best LB for the unfortunate 4-5-1 meta.
If you are like me and would prefer to play him as either a playmaking Falseback or offensive-minded Wingback, his PAS, DRI, and above all, Tiki Taka+ and Technical do not disappoint. Honestly, if you completed Ronaldinho and love to perform overlaps, the Brazilian duo feels like a match made in heaven, as Marcelo can easily get past and excels in both one-twos and crosses. For a deeper look at his face stats, roles, and PlayStyles, you can check out how the card compares to his previously released variants below:
| Base Icon Marcelo (89 OVR) | Champions Icon Marcelo (89 OVR) | TOTY Marcelo (90 OVR) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAC | 87 | 88 | 91 |
| SHO | 72 | 72 | 75 |
| PAS | 87 | 88 | 91 |
| DRI | 89 | 89 | 92 |
| DEF | 83 | 84 | 90 |
| PHY | 76 | 79 | 83 |
| Weak Foot | 4☆ | 4☆ | 4☆ |
| Skill Moves | 5☆ | 5☆ | 5☆ |
| PlayStyles+ | First Touch+ | First Touch+ | Anticipate+ and Tiki Taka+ |
| PlayStyles | Long Ball Pass, Tiki Taka, and Anticipate | Long Ball Pass, Tiki Taka, Anticipate, Technical, and Trickster | Whipped Pass, Jockey, Intercept, Technical, First Touch, and Trickster |
| Positions | LB | LB | LB |
| Roles | Wingback++ and Attacking Wingback++ | Wingback++, Attacking Wingback++, Fullback+, and Invented Fullback+ | Fullback++, Wingback++, Attacking Winback++, and Falseback++ |
| Price Range | 400-450K | 450K | 1.7M |
Is TOTY Marcelo Worth It?
Honestly, it depends, as although TOTY Marcelo has been one of my favorites to test, his SBC is overpriced to say the least. For comparison sake, you can get both a meta fullback in the new Flashback Frimpong and a TOTY level striker in Flashback Sophia Wilson for less. If you don’t mind that, though, Marcelo is by far the best LB in EA FC 26 and is very unlikely to get powercrept until TOTS. Just don’t rush when completing him, and keep in mind that, until the end of TOTY, inflation will be on the rise for 90+ cards.
Now that you know how to complete the Marcelo SBC, we recommend taking a look at all EA FC 26 Icon Swaps Rewards. After all, you need to make sure you are ready for the arrival of TOTY R9.
Published: Jan 19, 2026 01:00 pm