In FC Online (FCO), managers can recruit and position players to build their dream team. You can construct a squad based on your favorite real-life team, or, regardless of fandom, build a team purely for FCO gameplay.

In truth, there is no single 'correct' way to build a squad in FCO. Every player has a different amount of BP, and preferences for tactics, formations, and playstyles vary. Even with the same player, there are many options, leading to different preferences. However, teams that are popular usually have good reasons for being so. Today, I’d like to introduce a few squad options suitable for beginner managers who are still adapting to the game.

When choosing a team, FCO players often struggle between 'romance' (fandom) and performance. While it’s ideal to have both, you usually hit a budget wall. Club-specific teams featuring many popular players tend to be expensive. On the other hand, if you set aside the 'romance' and focus strictly on player stats and performance, you can make more cost-effective choices.

One such option is a 'single-class' team, where all 11 players belong to the same class. While difficult to achieve in real-life football, it’s possible in the game. Although single-class teams are less common now than in the early days of FCO due to the improved performance of club and national team colors, they remain a viable candidate. It is generally more cost-effective to choose a class that was released some time ago.

The DP single-class squad is a prime example. Its performance is competitive, and the price is accessible. It is particularly attractive because it features classes with new traits that significantly impact gameplay feel. To build a cost-effective DP single-class team, look for players who don't have highly sought-after club histories but do possess these new traits. Of course, there are also many cost-effective players who don't have new traits.

As a side note, remember that if you are short on capital, a South Korean national team using event rental packs can be a superior option.

[Shortcut] South Korean National Team Squad Guide

Next, let's look at squads using club team colors. First, Juventus, with a dash of personal preference. Since there are many legendary players from Juventus, the roster includes many names familiar to football fans. Because various players are available in different classes, you can choose based on your budget.

One of the advantages of Juventus is the abundance of two-footed players available for the squad, and the ability to build it cost-effectively. The squad below is prepared for a 310 salary cap at around 1900 trillion BP; most of the midfielders and attackers, such as Yildiz, Baggio, Del Piero, and Nedvěd, are two-footed. For reference, if you swap Marchisio for Zidane, you can have two-footed players from the midfield all the way to the striker position. However, I included Marchisio because there were no +8 listings for the reasonably priced BDO Zidane. A downside is that if you build it for value, there are fewer players with new traits. To be honest, my personal bias is also a factor in this Juventus recommendation.

Liverpool is also a good choice for a value-oriented approach. While building with top-tier classes and players increases the cost significantly, you can build a team that satisfies your fandom for a surprisingly low price if you aim for a moderate level. Liverpool also gains a speed boost from its team color effect. If you build with the players below, you can also pick up the 'Liverpool Ambassador' and 'The Red's Attacking Duo' trait team colors.

Besides these, you can also consider resources like Torres, Suárez, Mané, Szoboszlai, and Gravenberch. Note that Dortmund is another representative team that gains speed through its team color.

A single-team squad using Bayern Munich team colors has also received a lot of attention since the early days of FCO. It’s already highly functional due to the many great players from Bayern Munich, and with Kim Min-jae's transfer, you can even enjoy the fun of using a Korean player.

You can build at various price points depending on which players and classes you use. Since this is a guide for beginners, I’ve built it for about 1300 trillion BP, investing a bit more in key positions like center-back and striker. For reference, classes for Kim Min-jae that exceed the UT class jump significantly in price, making the UT class the most realistic choice. You can also consider attacking resources like Ribéry, Kane, and Lewandowski.