English star Wayne Rooney’s Flashback SBC has been released in FIFA 20 Ultimate Team to celebrate his unstoppable 2009/10 season with Manchester United, and we’ve got all the details on how to unlock the limited edition card.
For the second year in a row, England’s former golden boy has been bestowed a powerful boosted Flashback card. This time the Derby midfielder has been dialed up to 91, and packs a whopping 92 shooting — but is he worth crafting?
From in-game stats and value, to the cost of the squad-building challenge on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, we’ve got you covered below.
Rooney’s SBC time limit, requirements, & cost
The former English hero’s +11 upgrade was released on March 1, and will remain available as an SBC challenge until 6pm GMT, Sunday, March 8.
Rooney’s Flashback SBC requires three challenges to complete – high-rated squads based around Manchester United (84), England (85), and rare players (86).
Manchester United
- Players from Manchester United: Min 1
- Squad Rating: Min 84
- Team Chemistry: Min 80
- Players in the Squad: 11
- Reward: Small Prime Gold Players Pack
England
- Players from England: Min 1
- Squad Rating: Min 85
- Team Chemistry: Min 75
- Players in the Squad: 11
- Reward: Prime Electrum Players Pack
86-rated squad
- Squad Rating: Min 86
- Team Chemistry: Min 70
- Players in the Squad: 11
- Reward: Rare Mixed Players Pack
As of publishing, the three-squad challenge costs around 245,000 to complete for PS4 players, 260,000 for Xbox One players, and 275,000 for Origin PC-based players, according to FIFA 20 stats website Futbin.
Here is the cheapest squad available for the Manchester United puzzle. In terms of northern players, Luke Shaw (81) and the club’s huge offseason signing Harry Maguire (82) are the keys to this SBC solution.
Here is the England solution for Rooney’s SBC challenge. This cheap solution foregoes a big focus on English players despite the guidelines, slotting Maddison (82) into the RB position and building a mixed squad around him.
Constructing an 86-rated squad is fairly simple, especially considering there’s no restrictions on which players you can use. Here is a cheap option.
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Why was Rooney given a Flashback SBC?
While Manchester United’s 2009/10 season may not have been the best the club has put in the books — the three-time defending champions slipped to Chelsea by a single point in the Premier League — Rooney was unstoppable.
The English star made a total of 42 starts for United in all competitions and found the back of the net a hefty 34 times. In the league alone, he played in 32 games, and scored 26. He was only beaten by Chelsea’s Didier Drogba.
Rooney’s crowning achievements scoring-wise came in the middle of the campaign. Against relegation-threatened Portsmouth, the striker slammed home three for his first hat-trick of the season. Weeks later, he put four past Hull City.
He also played a key role in the team’s 4–3 victory over bitter local rivals Manchester City in Matchday 6, scoring in the second minute of play. United would go on to claim victory with a 96th-minute go-ahead goal from Michael Owen.
Rooney’s in-game stats & value
So is the return of England’s golden striker worth picking up for your Ultimate Team? At first glance, the card seems well-tuned — 89 pace brings him to the top of the current meta, and he boasts an elite 92 shooting stat to boot.
He also makes up for his lack of height — just 5’9” — with some top-tier stats, including 85 jumping, 93 heading accuracy, and 98 reactions, all of which means he can either play with the ball at his feet, or smash them in with his head.
There are a few flaws, of course. The fact the 33-year-old is now playing for Derby County is one of them, and means you may have to do a bit of team-building to figure out a way to get him into your starting eleven.
That can be mitigated by England’s host of special cards this FIFA, however. You could pick up Raheem Sterling’s 93 rated Headliners card, or double up on United forwards with Mason Greenwood’s 90-rated Future Stars release.
FIFA 20’s breakout SBC star Sean Maguire, Preston North End’s pacey Irish striker, could be another option to pair with the veteran English midfielder. With Rooney’s 89-passing feeding Maguire and his 98 pace, the combo could be lethal.
Overall, Rooney seems like a decent pickup for any English fans, and especially Manchester United supports who miss the glory days with their number 10 forward. Otherwise, there may be better options out there with easier links.