The Flying Dutchman Evolution turns an eligible striker or attacking midfielder into a well-rounded goal threat in FC 26, and you unlock it through the Journey of Nations: Europe objective. It can sit at the end of a chain or in the middle of one, so the card you feed into it matters as much as the boosts it hands out.
Quick answer: Pick a ST or CAM at 93 overall or lower with 95 or less Shooting, no more than 10 PlayStyles, no more than 3 PlayStyles+, and not the World Tour Silver Stars rarity. A CAM returns the most value. Strong picks include Beier, Ounahi, El Khannouss, Arnautovic, Aaronson, Oyarzabal, Just, Pogba, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Flying Dutchman Evolution requirements
A card has to clear every line below to be eligible. If a player fails even one, they will not appear as a valid choice.
| Requirement | Limit |
|---|---|
| Overall | Max 93 |
| Shooting | Max 95 |
| PlayStyle | Max 10 |
| PlayStyle+ | Max 3 |
| Position | ST or CAM |
| Excluded rarity | World Tour Silver Stars |
All five upgrade levels
The evolution runs across five levels. Each level unlocks after you play one match in any mode with the active EVO player in your squad, so the progression cost is time on the pitch rather than coins.
| Level | Key upgrades |
|---|---|
| 1 | Overall +25 (95), Acceleration +30 (91), Positioning +30 (94), Sprint Speed +30 (92), Weak Foot +4, Finesse Shot+ (3) |
| 2 | Dribbling +30 (97), Finishing +30 (94), Long Shots +20 (92), Shot Power +30 (92), Stamina +30 (93), Composure +20 (93) |
| 3 | Ball control +25 (96), Reactions +20 (94), Vision +20 (91), Volleys +20 (90), Skills +4 |
| 4 | Long Passing +30 (92), Short Passing +30 (92), Incisive Pass+ (3), Technical and First Touch |
| 5 | Agility +30 (95), Balance +30 (91), Curve +30 (93), Trickster (8) |
By the final level the card reaches a 95 overall with a rebuilt pace, shooting, dribbling, and passing profile, plus six PlayStyle additions that cover finishing, distribution, and close control.
Best players for The Flying Dutchman Evolution
The most effective candidates already have decent base pace and finishing, since the evolution stacks large boosts on top rather than fixing every weak stat. Feeding in a CAM gives you the widest role coverage once the passing and dribbling levels land.
| Player | Card |
|---|---|
| Beier | Glory Hunters |
| Ounahi | Glory Hunters |
| El Khannouss | Glory Hunters |
| Arnautovic | Glory Hunters |
| Aaronson | National Pride |
| Oyarzabal | National Pride |
| Just | National Pride |
| Pogba | Ultimate Birthday |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Ultimate Birthday |
Cristiano Ronaldo is a reliable pick on almost any evolution that hands out a real boost, thanks to a body type and animation set that tend to play above the raw numbers. The Glory Hunters options are useful if you built toward that promo, and the National Pride trio slots in cleanly for players chasing nation chemistry.
Tip: Before locking a card in, check your valid chains. Running the evolution as part of a chain usually returns a stronger finished card than using it in isolation, and choosing a CAM keeps both the striker and playmaker roles open.
How to confirm it worked
After each match with the EVO player in your active squad, the level ticks over and the new stat boosts and PlayStyles apply to the card immediately. Once all five levels clear, the card shows a 95 overall with Finesse Shot+, Incisive Pass+, Technical, First Touch, and Trickster attached. If a level is not advancing, make sure you actually fielded the evolving player during the match and that no requirement was broken by an earlier upgrade.
Whichever attacker you choose, weigh the base card’s pace and finishing against the chain you plan to run, then commit early so you have time to grind out all five match requirements before the objective window closes.
