2nd Batch Announced For Ultimate Team

Highlights EA Sports FC 24 will feature Hero cards, which are an alternative to Icon cards and provide full chemistry in the correct position.
The second batch of new Heroes includes legendary players like Nadine Kessler, Ludovic Giuly, Tomas Rosicky, Nwankwo Kanu, and John Arne Riise.
These Heroes have had successful careers and won prestigious trophies, making them valuable additions to Ultimate Team squads in FC 24.
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EA Sports have announced another five Hero cards that will feature in their upcoming title FC 24.
The changeover from the FIFA series to the newly branded EA Sports FC will be marked by a host of legendary names joining the Ultimate Team Heroes squad. Since their introduction in FIFA 22, heroes cards have become a huge hit in FUT. When it comes to using real-life footballing legends in the game, they provide an alternative to Icon cards. For the first time, there will be Hero cards available in FC 24 that will be UEFA Champions League-themed.
Hero cards are useful when building Ultimate Team squads because they always gain full chemistry as long as they are deployed in the correct position. Heroes also establish strong chemistry links between players from the same nation and league, which is especially useful with the new chemistry system introduced in FIFA 23.
The idea behind Heroes cards is that players who have reached high points in their careers can be rewarded top cards in-game. Some players may have lacked a lengthy prime during their careers to obtain an Icon card, in which case a Hero card is an excellent substitute.
For example, Ledley King was a Tottenham Hotspur legend in his own right, but the fact he never won significant trophies has limited the legacy he has left behind him. A Heroes card is ideal for players who left a significant mark on the game but did not quite establish Icon status by winning the greatest prizes.
The new Hero cards being added include cult heroes of Premier League clubs and some of the grandest stars from the women’s side of football.
Here we will provide an overview of the second batch of new Ultimate Team Heroes that have been announced. We will look back at their careers and how they earned their upcoming Hero items in FC 24.
Read more: EA Sports FC 24: Release Date, Cover Stars, Trailer And Everything We Know So Far
1 Nadine Kessler
The first batch of new Heroes announced for FC 24, included a women’s player. The second batch has followed suit, except this time around a women’s footballing legend headlines the list.
Nadine Kessler is one of the greatest creative midfielders in the history of the women’s game. She is a three-time UWCL champion, having first won the competition with 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, before winning the prize back-to-back with VFL Wolfsburg in 2013 and 2014.
Wolfsburg become the first German team to win the treble in the women’s side of the game, and they repeated the feat the following year. Kessler was one of the leading players in the greatest period of the club’s history, as she managed to net 37 goals across the two incredible seasons.
Those years also happened to be the most successful in Kessler’s career in terms of international football too. She won the UEFA Women’s Championship with Germany in 2013, securing her legendary status on the international stage as well at the club level.
For her performances in 2014, she was awarded the FIFA World Player of the Year award, and the UEFA Best Women’s Player award. Kessler’s brilliance was acknowledged on a universal scale.
Her exceptional footballing ability has not been forgotten since retirement – she was named in the UEFA Women’s Team of the Decade in 2020.
In Ultimate Team, Kessler could be an extremely meta option in-game in FC 24. Her slim build at 5’7 could make her a playmaking magician in the mould of the great Lionel Messi.
You can expect Kessler to receive passing and dribbling stats in the 90s, she should have exceptional agility and balance which will make her card really responsive in-game.
2 Ludovic Giuly
Ludovic Giuly was a dynamic winger that enjoyed a long and successful career at a variety of major European clubs. Giuly was capable of being deployed as a traditional wideman or in an inverted playmaking role.
His low centre of gravity standing at 5’5 made him a nightmare for defenders to stop, and that should also make him an excellent fit for FC 24.
Giuly is most well-known for his time at FC Barcelona, and his Hero card acknowledges that, as he will represent La Liga in the new release.
The Frenchman won two La Liga titles with the Catalans, as well as a UCL title, in which he started the final against Arsenal in 2006. Giuly finally become a European champion in 2006, two years after he lost in the final with his former club AS Monaco.
He also won Italian and French domestic cups later in his year with AS Roma and Paris Saint Germain – Giuly was a serial winner wherever he ventured throughout his career.
His prime was short and experienced almost solely in Spain, but he still contributed to major trophies late in his career.
At the international level, his sole honour was a Confederations Cup win in 2003 – the fact he was not picked in the successful France squads of 1998 and 2000 is what sets him apart from the French icons that will be present in FC 24.
3 Tomas Rosicky
Tomas Rosicky is certainly most well known for his time in North London with Arsenal. However, it is for his Borussia Dortmund days that he will be honoured with a Hero item in FC 24.
Rosicky helped Dortmund to win their first Bundesliga title in six years in the 2001/02 season – putting a pause on Bayern Munich’s dominance in the process.
The former Gunner made it into the Kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season for his efforts that campaign.
The Czech midfielder was a deep-lying playmaker in the mould of a Luka Modric-style player in the modern game. He was an incredible technician and was able to create opportunities from deep areas or dribble to progress the play.
Rosicky won just a single further major trophy in his career after leaving Germany. He won the FA Cup with Arsenal in 2013/14. His lack of trophies certainly limited the reputation he built for himself within the sport.
In FC 24, Rosicky should be a well-rounded midfield option, with extremely high passing and dribbling stats. The Czech legend should be somewhat of a jack of all trades, with a slight focus on playmaking in Ultimate Team.
Read more: 5 New Heroes Announced For EA Sports FC 24
4 Nwankwo Kanu
Another former Arsenal star features in this batch of fresh Heroes set to arrive alongside FC 24. Kanu will join Rosicky as a past Gunner that is coming to EA Sports FC for his efforts at another club.
Kanu is receiving a UCL Eredivisie Hero card in FC 24, to recognise his time at Ajax between 1993 and 1996. The Nigerian won three straight titles with the Dutch side, as well as a UCL title and subsequent Intercontinental Cup in 1995.
He was a powerful striker standing at 6’6 with immense ability on the ball for a player of his frame. He was quick in possession and boasted an excellent first touch which meant he was excellent at linking the play.
Throughout his career, Kanu has earned some of the richest honours in football, including a UEFA Champions League medal, a UEFA Cup medal, and two African Player of the Year awards.
Kanu should be an immense addition to the Heroes roster for FC 24. In his career he was a complete forward, that could play on the shoulder of the defence, or bring others into play. If EA replicates his prime self accurately, he should be an extremely powerful option due to his 6’6 height and excellent ability to dribble.
5 John Arne Riise
John Arne Riise is one of the greatest left-backs Liverpool have had throughout the Premier League era. The Norwegian established cult-hero status at Anfield and a Hero card in FC 24 is perfectly fitting.
Riise was a solid defender, but he always had a focus on bombing forward and influencing the attack. The fullback was well known for his powerful left-footed strikes, and maybe they could even be replicated in FC 24 with the new Play Styles.
The Norwegian appeared in two UEFA Champions League finals for the Reds. He was a part of the team that famously came back from three goals down to win against AC Milan in 2005, but in 2007 Riise and Liverpool fell short against the same opposition.
Riise also won an FA Cup trophy, League Cup, and UEFA Super Cup during his time at Liverpool. Prior to Liverpool, he won the French title and the French Super Cup with Monaco in 2000.
He should be an excellent addition to the Heroes squad for FC 24. He should provide an excellent attacking fullback option, and most vitally will boast strong links to the ever-popular Premier League in Ultimate Team.
Riise should arrive with a high pace and physicality attribute as well as a stunning ability to score long shots. Perhaps he could even be a candidate to displace Joan Capdevila as one of the most meta left-back options.