eFootball 2026 Epic Lamine Yamal’s Choice (Puyol, Deco, Buffon) pack review: A letdown, still great

Okay, so eFootball 2026 just dropped a cool new way to get players with these ‘Choice’ packs. Basically, the game’s ambassadors – big names in soccer – are curating packs with their favorite players. And the first one up is Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona winger! It’s a pretty neat idea, letting us see which players the pros rate.

So far, Yamal has revealed three of its six ambassador picks: Carles Puyol, Deco, and Gianluigi Buffon. The remaining choices haven’t been announced yet. We’re also looking forward to seeing which players Messi, Suárez, and Neymar select as part of this series.

Let’s take a closer look at this pack and see if it’s worth buying. Does it offer good value for your money? We’ll find out!

eFootball 2026 Epic Lamine Yamal’s Choice Players

Carles Puyol

  • Position: CB
  • Playing Style: Destroyer
  • Showtime Skill: Fortress and Aerial Fort

If you’ve played with Puyol cards before, this one will feel similar. While it’s not much different from his Spanish version, the biggest change is to his Striker skills. Swapping Long Reach Tackle for Aerial Fort seems like a step down, at least when you look at the stats.

Aerial Fort is a decent card, though it can be inconsistent. If it had been released with Long Reach Tackle, it would have been excellent. However, even as is, it’s still a physically imposing card, and surprisingly good in the air despite not being very tall.

He’s surprisingly effective against larger opponents thanks to his jumping ability and physicality. On defense, he’s a classic, hard-tackling player – aggressive, committed, and excellent at winning the ball. Plus, it’s easy to improve his speed to a very usable level.

Suggested Skills: Heading, One Touch Pass

Suggested Booster(s): Stealing

Suggested Progression Points Allocation for Carles Puyol

Shooting Passing Dribbling Dexterity Lower Body Strength Aerial Strength Defending GK 1/2/3
0 0 0 9 10 8 9 0

Deco

  • Position: CMF
  • Playing Style: Orchestrator
  • Showtime Skill: Phenomenal Pass and Low Screamer

Based on the stats, this card is excellent. What really stands out is its technical ability – it has amazing dribbling and passing, with great ball control and close, skillful dribbling. It’s definitely a card worth getting!

However, Deco’s potential is limited by how you use him. While he could be amazing as an attacking midfielder – a creative playmaker or a hole player – truly showcasing his strengths and potentially reaching top-tier status, playing him as a deep-lying playmaker feels like it’s holding him back.

Play him as a midfielder who doesn’t specialize in any one style. Otherwise, you won’t get the full benefit of his excellent skills, Phenomenal Pass and Low Screamer, which are great for players who like to be versatile and imaginative.

Suggested Skills: First Time Shot, Weighted Pass, Sole Control, Fighting Spirit, Pinpoint Crossing

Suggested Booster(s): Off the Ball

Suggested Progression Points Allocation for Deco

Shooting Passing Dribbling Dexterity Lower Body Strength Aerial Strength Defending GK 1/2/3
2 7 8 6 12 0 8 0

Gianluigi Buffon

  • Position: GK
  • Playing Style: Offensive Goalkeeper
  • Showtime Skill: GK Spirit Roar

Buffon has received a significant update, most notably changing his role from a purely defensive goalkeeper to one that actively participates in the attack. This improvement is definitely noticeable when you’re playing the game.

In today’s game, where clearing the ball from under high defensive lines is crucial – whether teams focus on possession or quick counter-attacks – Buffon remains a valuable asset. His stats reflect a top-level goalkeeper, with near-perfect scores in Reflexes, Reach, and overall Goalkeeping ability.

A noteworthy new feature is the “GK Spirit Roar” skill. Only one other goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn, has this ability in the game. While its exact effect on gameplay is still being determined, it appears to potentially boost the physical strength of defenders during the second half, making it a valuable asset.

Suggested Skills: NA

Suggested Booster(s): Saving

Suggested Progression Points Allocation for Gianluigi Buffon

Aerial Strength GK 1 GK 2 GK 3 Others
1 10 10 11 0

Best pick from the Epic Lamine Yamal’s Choice players pack in eFootball 2026

There’s been a lot of discussion about this pack, but I think it’s still a good one overall. Puyol isn’t one of the most powerful cards currently, as taller attackers tend to perform better, but he’s excellent at defending on the ground. Deco has great stats, and Buffon is likely to be considered one of the best goalkeepers in the game.

Here’s my final cards tier list and pack rating.

Tier Players
SSS (Endgame) Gianluigi Buffon
SS (Excellent) Carles Puyol, Deco
S (Strong) None
A (Good) None
B (Average) None
C (Below Average) None

Pack Rating: 3 out of 5

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2026-03-22 03:14