EA Sports recently introduced squad restrictions for online qualifiers for FIFA 19 events. The change has put pro players in an interesting position as now they have to rebuild their teams and adapt to using new players.
From now on, players can only use two Icons, one 95+ rated non-Icon player, two 90-94 rated non-Icon players and the rest of the squad must be 89-rated or lower.
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After the changes, Ajax's Dani Hagebeuk now plays a 4-2-3-1 with Champions League Hugo Lloris, Headliners Kenny Lala, Future Stars Dayot Upamecano, Headliners Lucas Hernandez, Future Stars Ferland Mendy, Future Stars Matteo Guendouzi, Team of the Year (TOTY) Kylian Mbappe, inform Neymar, Prime Icon Ruud Gullit, Prime Icon Eusebio and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Goal caught up with Dani to see how he is coping with the challenges and to find out why he made the decisions he did.
How hard has it been adapting to a new squad with fewer Icons and top-rated players?
It's been hard because I was really adjusted to the players I was using before the restrictions. Now, half of my team have a different way of dribbling, shooting, passing, etc. It took some time to adjust, but I'm playing very good with it now.
Why did you choose the two Icons that you did?
Gullit Prime is the Icon you just need in the midfield. He literally has everything. The only bad thing you could say about him is that he is a bit slow with skill moves but the rest of his statistics make up for that. As for Eusebio Prime, he is a monster dribbler, so fast with the Croquetta skill move, and can score from any angle. He even wins headers despite the fact he is not that tall.
Also, why did you pick TOTY Mbappe as your one 95+ rated non-Icon?
TOTY Mbappe, for me, is the best TOTY card in the game. He's so fast, wins headers which you never expect, skilling is so fine and he also gives you a little bit of luck with the fifty-fifties.
And out of your 89-rated or lower players, who is the best and why?
My best player with a maximum rating of 89 is probably Lloris. I used him in the last qualifiers and I didn’t expect him to save so many important opportunities, especially with his height. He is one of the most underrated goalkeepers in the game for me, so far he has been great.
Who is the MVP of your squad and why?
TOTY Mbappe again, he does everything you need to do to win games.
Of course, you have been to a lot of tournaments and undoubtedly used a lot of cards, who would you say is the best card in the game and why?
The answer is still TOTY Mbappe, as I already mentioned he is too fast, his passing is good, his crosses are great, his skill moves are incredible, his weak-foot feels like five-stars instead of four, his heading is insane, and jumping is even more insane. In short, he is perfect!
What formation do you use and why? How does it fit into your play-style
So in-game I actually change to 4-2-3-1. I play this formation because I’m pretty much a ball possession player who knows when to speed up the attack - the 4-2-3-1 works very well with that playstyle.
What is one card in the game that you think is underrated by other pro players and what makes that card so good?
Prime Moments Socrates. This card is just incredible. Only his defending lets him down, that’s why a lot of people prefer not to use him.
Are there any cards you've used in FIFA 19 that have disappointed you and why?
Paul Pogba, he rotates like a truck and does skill moves slower than an amateur player.
Finally, you're one of the top Xbox players in the Global Series Rankings - what do you think separates you from other players? And what advice would you give to other aspiring pros
I think what separates me from other players is the way I manually press my opponents and I'm very good at anticipating what they're doing. Also, I think my way of pressing and also the way I score goals is very rare.