If Alexander the Great played soccer: central midfielder, rated 87

Alexander the Great as a soccer player: scouting report

Alexander the Great belongs in the middle of the park, because he spent his life deciding where everyone else should go. He became king of Macedonia at twenty and led an army from Greece through Egypt and Persia to the edge of India, and that kind of command translates into a central midfielder who organizes all ten teammates. His passing is the strongest part of his card. He sees the switch to the far wing before the defense does, and he plays the ball into space the way a cavalry commander sends riders into a gap.

He was tutored as a teenager by Aristotle, so the tactical side comes naturally. His defending grades out high as well, which means he can drop between the center backs when the team is under pressure and start the next move from there. His shooting is no afterthought either: give him a loose ball at the top of the box and he will strike it with real intent. Dribbling is the one soft spot on a card full of strengths, and even that is solid. He prefers to move the ball quickly rather than carry it through traffic, which suits the role.

The surprise is how good he looks in goal. His goalkeeping is near the top of his card, so a drafter who misses on a keeper can slide him between the posts and lose very little. He also fits on the wing, where his pace lets him attack the channel. The best plan is to keep him in the middle of the midfield three, surround him with two runners who love to press, and let a man who once tamed the horse Bucephalus as a boy steer the whole side.

Plays like A commanding deep playmaker who sees the whole pitch at once

Put Alexander the Great in your lineup

11 rolls, a starting eleven, 38 matches. Can you go 38-0? Free, no account.