FIFA 21 Rulebreakers guide: Pogba and Lukaku get upgrades in Team 2

(Image credit: EA)

FIFA 21 Rulebreakers was this season's surprise Halloween campaign. Instead of the expected FIFA 21 Shapeshifters cards, EA provided items which acted in a similar manner to previous years, but without additional mid-season changes. Players earned boosted FIFA 21 upgrades and in some cases new positions, with Harry Kane's pace surge to 91 proving especially popular - and expensive. How did it work, and who else got upgraded? GR's FIFA 21 Rulebreakers guide explains all.

FIFA 21 Rulebreakers: what are they?

FIFA 21 Rulebreakers are a batch of cards which see players’ stats completely reconfigured, to make each markedly different to his real-life counterpart. (And, in some cases – such as a certain England captain – much more attractive to potential buyers.)

FIFA 21 Rulebreakers Team 1 was released on Friday 23 October. Made up of 11 players, it contained a version of Harry Kane boasting 91 pace, a new take on Marcos Llorente with 86 defending and 84 physicality, and an upgraded Aymeric Laporte packing 81 pace, 74 passing, 84 defending and 84 physicality.

FIFA 21 Rulebreakers Team 2 followed suit on Friday 30 October. Angel di Maria (Paris SG, 88) was its highest-rated player, but that new pace rating for Lukaku ensures that it'll be an expensive card for some time. On which note…

FIFA 21 Rulebreakers: how can I get them?

Initially, 11 Rulebreakers were available in packs, with prices on the transfer market fluctuating wildly. Harry Kane (Tottenham, 91) was inevitably the most expensive, costing 1.2 million coins within hours of the set being released. Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City, 88) initially set you back 455,000 coins, and Douglas Costa (FC Bayern, 87) and Dries Mertens (Napoli, 87) were similarly wallet-wrecking, selling for 525,000 and 530,000 coins respectively.

One week later, Kane's price was holding firm at that same 1.2 million mark, while Laporte's had risen to 472K. From Team 2, Lukaku's card was initially extinct, with fans racing to try to snipe one for its maximum value of 400K. As I write this in early November, it sells for 390,000 coins.

A twelfth Rulebreaker was made available alongside the initial team, as a Squad Building Challenge. Inaki Williams (Athletic Club, 84) was available for a limited time in exchange for two squads rated 84 (‘Top Form’) and 85 (‘National Duty') to complete the challenge. In a cunning twist, there were two versions of his card for you to choose from. One features 82 shooting and 90 dribbling; the other boasts 89 shooting and 83 dribbling.

Rulebreaker number 13 is Nordi Mukiele (RB Leipzig, 84). A right-back with a pace rating of 89, along with 85 dribbling and 83 physicality, to secure him you needed to complete five sets of in-game challenges by Tuesday 3 November.

Later updates saw Anderson Talisca (Guangzhou Evergrande, 84), Pierre Kunde Malong (FSV Mainz, 83) and Karim Bellarabi (Bayer Leverkusen, 85) added as SBC rewards, while Adebayo Akinfenwa (Wycombe Wanderers, 74) became available as an objectives-based prize at the outset of week two.

FIFA 21 Rulebreakers: was that it for Halloween?

Nope. “Halloween and Day of the Dead return to FUT with Squad Building Challenges and Objectives featuring themed kits, stadium items, and pack rewards beginning Thursday 29 October,” said EA at the campaign's outset. For instance, a 'Screampuff set' of SBC challenges to unlock a badge, tifo, kit and stadium theme went live on the evening of Friday 30 October. It's long finished now, though. Sorry.

FIFA 21 Rulebreakers: were there new SBCs?

Yes, as mentioned above. Inaki Williams, Karim Bellarabi, Anderson Talisca and Pierre Kunde Malong all scored exclusive-to-SBC cards during the FIFA 21 Rulebreakers campaign.

FIFA 21 Rulebreakers: is there a full list of cards?

Yep. Below is the full FIFA 21 Rulebreakers list of cards.

Harry Kane (ST, Tottenham Hotspur) - 91
Aymeric Laporte (CB, Manchester City) - 88
Angel di Maria (RW, Paris SG) - 88
Douglas Costa (LM, FC Bayern) - 87
Dries Mertens (CF, Napoli) - 87
Romelu Lukaku (ST, Inter Milan) - 87
Paul Pogba (CM, Manchester United) - 87
Marco Reus (CAM, Borussia Dortmund) - 87
Jose Maria Jimenez (CB, Atletico Madrid) - 86
Radja Nainggolan (CAM, Inter Milan) - 85
Lucas Ocampos (RW, Sevilla) - 85
Karim Bellarabi (RM, Bayer Leverkusen) - 85 [SBC only]
Marcos Llorente (CM, Atletico Madrid) - 84
Manuel Lazzari (RM, Lazio) - 84
Juan Cuadrado (RB, Piemonte Calcio) - 84
Inaki Williams (ST, Athletic Club) - 84 [SBC only]
Anderson Talisca (CAM, Guangzhou Evergrande) - 84 [SBC only]
Nordi Mukiele (RB, RB Leipzig) - 84 [Objectives only]
Hassane Kamara (LB, OGC Nice) - 83
Denzel Dumfries (RB, PSV) - 83
Benjamin Andre (CDM, LOSC) - 83
Hakan Calhanoglu (LW, AC Milan) - 83
Daniel Podence (LW, Wolves) - 83
Alex Teixeira (ST, Jiangsu Suning) - 83
Patrick van Aanholt (LB, Crystal Palace) - 83
Pierre Kunde Malong (CDM, FSV Mainz) - 83 [SBC only]
Ike Opara (CB, Minnesota United) - 82
Adebayo Akinfenwa (ST, Wycombe Wanderers) - 74 [Objectives only]