If you’ve ever spent 20 minutes scrolling through eFootball 2023’s club lists just to track down Cristiano Ronaldo, you’re not alone. As one of the highest-rated players in the game, he’s a fan favorite for squads that prioritize clinical finishing and cross conversion. We’re breaking down exactly what team is ronaldo on in efootball 2023, plus everything you need to know to get the most out of him if you add him to your side. I’ve lost count of how many times my little brother has borrowed my console just to play as Al Nassr and score bicycle kicks with Ronaldo, so I’ve had to look up his team location more times than I can count. I’ve also tested his base, featured, and iconic versions across 100+ online matches, so I’ll also share the playstyle hacks that make him far more effective than just throwing him up front as a target man.
What Team Is Ronaldo on in eFootball 2023: Base Card and Special Versions
When players ask what team is ronaldo on in efootball 2023, they’re usually referring to the standard base card available year-round, which is tied exclusively to Al Nassr of the Saudi Pro League. For offline friendly or tournament modes, you can find him in the Saudi Pro League club menu, listed as a 87 overall striker for Al Nassr. He’ll have his real face, signature celebration, and core stats that match his real-world playing style at the time of the game’s release.
There are also several special versions of Ronaldo that are tied to different teams, depending on the event they were released for. His 2022 World Cup featured card, for example, is linked to the Portugal national team and has a 92 overall rating, with boosted pace and finishing stats. His iconic moment card from his 2017/18 Real Madrid stint is linked to the classic Real Madrid side, with a 94 overall rating and boosted heading and jumping stats.
It’s important to note that special event cards don’t appear in standard club lists, so you’ll only get them from limited-time player packs or event rewards. If you’re playing Dream Team mode, none of his cards are assigned to a fixed playable club by default, but his base card will still count as an Al Nassr and Saudi Pro League player for league-specific squad challenges.
How to Unlock Ronaldo for Your Custom eFootball 2023 Squad
Now that you know what team is ronaldo on in efootball 2023, you might be wondering how to add him to your custom Dream Team squad. You don’t need to spend real money to get a usable version of him, though rare special cards will require some luck or grinding. The most common ways to unlock him are:
If you only want to use him for offline matches, you don’t need to unlock him at all. Just select Al Nassr or the Portugal national team from the pre-made squad list, and he’ll be available to play right away. Skip paid packs if you’re on a budget – his base Al Nassr card has nearly all the same core stats as his more expensive special versions, minus a few extra pace and heading points. I’ve won Division 1 matches with just his base card, so don’t feel like you have to spend real money to get a usable version of him.
Best Playstyles and Formations to Use With Ronaldo in eFootball 2023
Now that you know what team is ronaldo on in efootball 2023 and how to unlock him, you can start tweaking your squad to play to his strengths. His core stats include 93 finishing, 90 heading accuracy, 89 sprint speed, and 87 jump, so he excels at getting on the end of through balls and crosses. He’s not great at holding up play or tackling, so you’ll want to build your squad to minimize those weaknesses.
The best formation for Ronaldo is a 4-3-3 attack, where you can play him as the left forward. This position lets him cut inside on his dominant right foot to shoot, or drift into the box to finish crosses from your right winger. If you prefer a more defensive formation, a 4-2-3-1 with him as the sole striker also works well, as long as you have two attacking midfielders that can play through balls to him behind defensive lines.
Don’t waste his finishing ability by playing him as a lone target man holding up the ball – he’s far more effective making runs behind opposing defensive lines. Make sure you set his attacking run direction to “forward” in your squad settings, and turn off his defensive support settings so he doesn’t drop back to help defend. He has low stamina for a striker, so you don’t want to waste his energy tracking back when he could be waiting for a pass in the final third. I used to play him as a left winger with defensive support turned on, and he barely scored 5 goals in 20 matches. Once I switched his settings to prioritize attacking runs, his goal output tripled almost immediately.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Ronaldo in eFootball 2023
Even with his high stats, Ronaldo won’t win matches for you if you use him incorrectly. I’ve made almost every possible mistake with him over the last year, so these are the pitfalls you’ll want to skip to get the most out of him.
The first mistake is forcing passes to him every time you get the ball. Opponents will quickly mark him with two defenders if you do that, and you’ll end up turning over possession in dangerous areas. If you notice two or more defenders sticking to Ronaldo, switch play to the opposite wing to open up space for him to make a run into the box. His off-the-ball movement is one of his best stats, so he’ll almost always find an open spot if you give him a few seconds to make a run.
The second mistake is using him to take long shots from outside the box when you have a better passing option. His long shot stat is 82, which is decent, but it’s far more reliable to pass to a midfielder who can play a through ball to him inside the 18-yard box. His finishing stat is 93, so he’ll score almost every time he gets a clear shot inside the box.
The third mistake is forgetting to sub him off late in matches. His base stamina is 80, which means he’ll start to slow down around the 75th minute if you’re making him sprint constantly. Keep a backup striker on your bench to sub him in for the last 15 minutes if you’re playing a tight match, so you don’t lose his finishing ability late in the game. I’ve lost count of how many late wins I’ve thrown away because I left a tired Ronaldo on the pitch and he missed an easy chance in stoppage time. Also, don’t use him to take left-footed free kicks or corner kicks – his left foot is only rated 65, so you’ll waste most of those opportunities on off-target shots.
At the end of the day, tracking down what team is ronaldo on in efootball 2023 is just the first step to getting the most out of one of the game’s best attacking players. Whether you’re using his base Al Nassr card for casual offline matches or his iconic Real Madrid version for high-stakes online tournaments, his finishing ability makes him a valuable addition to almost any squad. Don’t get caught up in chasing rare special versions if you’re new to the game – start with his base card, test out different formations, and adjust his playstyle to fit your usual approach to matches. You’ll be scoring hat-tricks with him before you know it.