It is hard to put into words the mix of frustration and hope I’ve felt every time I scrolled past the empty slot where Diego Maradona should have been in Ultimate Team. For three painfully long years, the Hand of God has been missing from our squads, and as a dedicated EA Sports FC player, I never stopped believing that one day the legend would come back. Well, that day might finally be here.

A series of database leaks that first surfaced back in late 2024 have been steadily gaining credibility, and now, in the heart of EA FC 26’s season, everything points to a dramatic return. The biggest story by far revolves around the naples magician himself. Leaker DonkTrading originally revealed that a 97-overall Maradona ICON had been quietly added to the EA FC database, and the community has been buzzing ever since. While EA didn’t confirm anything then, multiple insiders now claim that the card is fully configured and waiting for the right moment to drop.

I remember exactly when the drama started. Back in 2022, EA removed Diego Maradona from FIFA 22 because of a complex third-party legal dispute. The 91, 95, and 97-rated versions of the Argentine icon all vanished from packs, SBCs, and even the Soccer Aid World XI. A painful in-game announcement read: “Due to a third-party legal dispute, we must suspend Diego Maradona from appearing in FIFA Ultimate Team Packs, future FUT content, and the Soccer Aid World XI in EA SPORTS FIFA 22.” It was a gut punch for nostalgia-driven players like me who grew up idolising him. EA did leave the door open for a future reunion, but hope slowly faded – until now.

Fast forward to 2026, and the latest EA FC 26 title update has only intensified the speculation. The Grassroot Greats promo, which is slated to kick off any week now, seems tailor-made for this kind of homecoming. According to early leaks, this promo will celebrate iconic players from Ultimate Team’s history, bringing back faces that defined entire eras of FUT. And guess who sits at the top of that list?

It isn’t just Maradona, though. The sheer volume of nostalgic content coming our way is staggering. Dataminers have found that Gervinho, Seydou Doumbia, and Victor Ibarbo – the legendary Roma trio that terrorized defenders in the early FIFA days – are all in the EA FC 26 database. If you played Ultimate Team around 2014, you know the sheer terror of facing that front three. Doumbia’s pace, Ibarbo’s physical presence, and Gervinho’s dribbling were the stuff of nightmares. Their return, even as special promo cards, will be an instant nostalgia bomb for veterans like me. I can already imagine the emotional SBC requirements and the flood of Twitch reactions.

Let’s not forget another massive name on the horizon: Franz Beckenbauer. The Kaiser has never appeared as an ICON in Ultimate Team, largely because of a FIFA investigation that started in 2014. Beckenbauer was accused of not cooperating with an inquiry into alleged corruption surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup awards. In 2016, he was fined by FIFA, and his exclusion from the game seemed permanent. However, leaks now suggest that all legal hurdles have been cleared, allowing EA to finally introduce Beckenbauer as an ICON. The German legend, who could play both as a midfielder and a defender, would instantly become one of the most versatile and desirable cards in Ultimate Team. I can already see the debates: Beckenbauer at CDM or at CB? His 94- or 95-rated version would be an instant game-changer.

The timing of these leaks couldn’t be better. We’re in a period of EA FC 26 where the winter refresh has settled, and the community is eagerly thirsting for the next big event. The Grassroot Greats promo, likely structured around fan-favourite SBCs and objective players, is a golden opportunity to reintroduce Maradona without the usual licensing fanfare. EA has been known to drop unexpected bombshells right after minor patches, and I suspect a 97-rated Diego packed with 99 dribbling, 5-star skill moves, and a custom “Hand of God” celebration will break the market.

Of course, we still lack an official release date. EA tends to keep silent until just a few days before major promos go live, but the build-up on social media is already palpable. Twitter and Reddit are filled with concept designs, market crash warnings, and fake “leaked” stats. As someone who has been burned by rumours before, I’m cautiously optimistic. But unlike previous years, the evidence feels more substantial this time. Database entries don’t appear by accident, and the fact that Beckenbauer, the Roma trio, and Maradona have all surfaced in the same update window is too big to be a coincidence.

Personally, I am already stockpiling fodder. High-rated squads for Icon SBCs are never cheap, and if the Maradona card requires, say, an 89-rated squad with multiple IFs, the market will skyrocket overnight. The return of Ibarbo, Doumbia, and Gervinho also raises a tantalizing question: will EA re-release those classic silver and gold cards with modern meta attributes? A juiced Doumbia with 95 pace and boosted shooting would instantly become the most-used striker in Division Rivals, possibly rivalling even the Mbappés and Haalands of the world.

Beyond the cards themselves, this whole saga stirs up deeper emotions. Diego Maradona is not just an ICON; he is the embodiment of a generation’s football memory. Having him back in our clubs, linking up with modern heroes, and hearing that deafening stadium roar when he scores a finesse shot from outside the box – that’s what Ultimate Team is all about. Even writing this, I can feel the excitement of completing his SBC at 6 PM on a Friday, racing to get that first game in before the weekend league servers crash.

So, what’s next? Keep a close eye on the FC Pro Live upgrade tracker and official EA channels. The next major loading screen will probably give us the first concrete hint. As soon as I see that familiar silhouette or a glimpse of an Argentina jersey with the number 10, I’ll know the wait is finally over. Until then, I’ll be grinding objectives, staying liquid, and dreaming of the greatest ICON card EA FC has ever seen. The Hand of God is coming home. 👐🇦🇷