FC 26: 86 Cornerstones Zubimendi Player Review

The first promo has been graced upon the FC 26 Ultimate Team which is none other than the Cornerstones promo that brings a set of new players, challenges and SBCs. Unlike your regular special cards that consist of overpowered attackers, the highlight players in Cornerstones are proved to be much more effective in team plays where they serve as the backbone of the team by providing consistent stability and balance on the pitch.

Among these newly added players, one of them is becoming the talk of town who is Martin Zubimendi. This midfielder of Arsenal is an 86 rated CDM player and with promising interceptions, passing and defense stats. But the real question will be “Is it worth the money?”. To help you with the verdict, let’s follow LDShop for an in depth analysis of Zubimendi’s stats, strengths and weaknesses to finally conclude where he is a keep or pass.

Basic Info - Martin Zubimendi

Martin Zubimendi is a world class Deep-lying Playmaker CDM and CM player who plays for the club called Arsenal. Through the Cornerstones promo, this card has received major upgrades in this overall rating and his attributes.

Name	Martin Zubimendi Ibanez
Club	Arsenal
Nation	Spain
League	Premier League
Foot	Right
Skill Moves	3★
Weak Foot	4★
Height	180cm | 5’11’
Weight	74kg | 163lbs

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Stats and Attributes

Here are the stats and attributes of Martin Zubimendi:

Pace

• OVR: 75
• Acceleration: 76
• Sprint Speed: 75

With an overall Pace rating of 75, Zubimendi is okayish as he is neither too sluggish nor too fast which is kinda suiting for a defensive midfielder. His Acceleration and Sprint Speed stands at 76 and 75 respectively which states that he can close down or chase opponents for a few yards if needed.

​Passing

• OVR: 83
• Vision: 87
• Crossing: 74
• FK. Acc.: 59
• Short Pass: 87
• Long Pass: 87
• Curve: 77

As a Midfielder, Zubimendi’s passing stats are quite strong with an overall rating of 83. His other attributes such as Visions, Short passing and Long Passing are also impressive with an excellent stat of 87s. This makes him a reliable player for team contributions and passing both short and long counter balls. Although his Free kick accuracy can be counted as one of his major faults, other stats on Crossing and Curve are pretty decent. These passing stats proves why he is recognized as a world class deep-lying playmaker.

​Shooting

• OVR: 70
• Att. Position: 83
• Finishing: 72
• Shot Power: 68
• Long Shots: 76
• Volleys: 51
• Penalties: 47

At an overall of 70, Zubimendi’s shooting is his weakest attribute. While his Attacking position has a rating of 83, the other important stats such as finishing at 72, Shot power at 68, Long shots at 76, Volleys at 51 and penalties at 47 falls very low. This stats proves that he is not a good fit for a direct goal contribution.

Dribbling

• OVR: 83
• Agility: 78
• Balance: 79
• Reactions: 88
• Ball Control: 87
• Dribbling: 81
• Composure: 87

Dribbling is surprisingly a strong suit for Zubimendi with an overall rating of 83. His ball control and composure at 87 are very impressive and the 81 on Dribbling makes him a good player who can keep possession even under tight pressure. While the Reaction's stats at 88 stands out as a huge advantage, Balance and Agility at 79 and 78 respectively makes him a decent choice for controlled turns and quick passes. Even though he lacks the attacking power as a midfielder, the composure and control makes him an effective choice for build up plays.

​Defending

• OVR: 86
• Interceptions: 89
• Heading Acc.: 70
• Def. Aware: 87
• Stand Tackle: 88
• Slide Tackle: 85

As a midfielder, the defending attribute is one of Zubimendi’s strong points with an overall score of 86. His 89 Interceptions make him an exceptional at reading play, while the 87 defensive awareness ensures his good positioning. Apart from this, Martin’s 88 Stand Tackle and 85 Slide Tackle proves his defensive strength. But, the guy is not made for elite aerial battles because of his 70 Heading Accuracy.

​Physicality

• OVR: 76
• Jumping: 74
• Stamina: 88
• Strength: 70
• Aggression: 77

Lastly, Martin Zubimendi’s physicality attribute is 76 and the stats are a mix of things. The guy has an exceptional stamina of 88 that lets him last longer in the long fights of the match but the 70 strength gives him a very significant disadvantage in physical duels. Moreover, the 77 aggression and 74 Jumping makes him a bit unreliable in aerial and brawl contests.

How to unlock Zubimendi?

You can purchase Zubimendi at a price of 90,000 UT coins with some additional challenges to complete that also grants you some rewards. If you don't have the funds, you can instantly buy FC 26 Coins using your real money. The best platform to make the top-up is LDShop, it lets players top up for less and it is a great way to save money.

The challenges and their respective costs and rewards are:

1. Spain - 7,700 UT Coins

Exchange a squad featuring Players from Spain

• Minimum 1 Player from Spain
• Minimum Team Rating: 83

Reward – 1x Small Electrum Players Pack

2. Premier League - 14,600 UT Coins

Exchange a squad featuring Players from the Premier League

• Minimum 1 Player from Premier League
• Minimum Team Rating: 84

Reward – 1x Gold Pack

3. 84-Rated Squad - 14,200 UT Coins

Exchange an 84-Rated Squad

• Minimum Team Rating: 84

Reward – 1x Gold Pack

4. 85-Rated Squad - 28,200 UT Coins

Exchange an 85-Rated Squad

• Minimum Team Rating: 85

Reward – 1x Premium Gold Pack

5. 86-Rated Squad - 43,000 UT Coins

Exchange an 86-Rated Squad

• Minimum Team Rating: 86

Reward – 1x Mixed Players Pack

 

 

PROs & CONs of Zubimendi

PROS	CONS
Inventive PS	70 Strength
Intercept PS	Only 2 Useful PS
88 Reactions	3* Skills
87 Long Pass	Mid Pace
89 Interceptions
DLP++ Role

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Conclusion

In conclusion, the FC 26 Martin Zubimendi Card is a decent choice for a card but the cost of 90,000 is not justified and there are a lot of alternatives such as Gravenberch, Rice and Marlona. Therefore, it is definitely a pass and not a worth it card.