FC 26 Guide: Best Players for Do It Like Yaya Evolution

The Do It Like Yaya Evolution is one of the more generous CM upgrades available right now in EA SPORTS FC 26 Ultimate Team. To unlock it, you need to complete the Cote d'Ivoire objective inside Journey of Nations: Africa. Once that objective is done, the evo slot opens and you can slot in any eligible central midfielder. The upgrade path runs five levels deep, with each level requiring just one match played, making this one of the least grindy evos in the game.

What are the Do It Like Yaya Evolution requirements?

Before you start browsing your club, check that your chosen card actually qualifies. The requirements are tight enough to filter out most high-end cards but leave plenty of strong options on the table.

Overall: Max 91
PlayStyle: Max 10
PlayStyle+: Max 3
Position: CM only
Excluded rarity: World Tour Silver Stars

The PlayStyle+ cap at 3 is the most restrictive filter here. Cards with four or more PlayStyles+ are locked out, so flashy high-rated special cards with stacked PlayStyle+ counts will not qualify.

tip

Check your club before spending coins on the transfer market. Several of the best candidates are cards players already own from earlier promos.

Do It Like Yaya evo unlock screen

What upgrades does each level provide?

All five levels unlock by playing one match per level in any mode with your active evo player. There is no ranked-mode requirement, no win condition, nothing exotic. The stat gains are substantial across the board.

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Level 1 alone justifies running this evo. Short Passing hitting 96 and Stamina reaching 96 transforms almost any qualifying CM into a box-to-box engine. The Incisive Pass+ and Pinged Pass+ PlayStyles added at Level 1 are exactly what a deep-lying playmaker needs.

important

The final overall after all five levels sits at 93. If your base card already has an overall close to 91, you are starting from the best possible ceiling.

Best players to use in the Do It Like Yaya Evolution

After running through the requirements and stat caps, these are the cards worth putting into this evo. The list covers options across different price points and card types.

Top picks

Toni Kroos Ultimate Birthday — The passing base and vision make the Level 1 and Level 4 boosts land at elite territory. One of the strongest fits in this evo.
Bergvall Showdown — A younger card with solid physical foundations that benefits heavily from the Strength and Sprint Speed upgrades at Levels 2 and 3.
Cambiasso Prime Hero — The defensive stats on Cambiasso's base card combined with the Stand Tackle and Interception boosts produce a genuinely two-way CM.
Fabian Ruiz Showdown — Already a reliable passer, the Long Passing and Vision boosts push this card into a different tier entirely.
Hjulmand TOTS HM — Good base Defending stats that scale well with the Level 3 and Level 5 defensive upgrades.
Gilberto Silva Prime Hero — The defensive foundation here is excellent, and Finishing hitting 92 at Level 5 turns him into a late-run threat.
Garner TOTS Breakthrough — A more budget-friendly option that covers most of the PlayStyle+ eligibility requirements cleanly.
Doumbia TOTS Breakthrough — Fits the requirements and benefits from the physical boosts at Levels 2 and 3.
Ounahi Showdown — Dribbling and Ball Control improvements at Level 2 and 3 suit his playstyle.
Sithole World Tour — A wildcard pick with enough room in his base stats to benefit from the overall jump.
Wouter Burger Ultimate Birthday — Worth considering if you plan to stack multiple evolutions, since combining evos on the same card can produce results that exceed what a single evo delivers.

tip

If you have Wouter Burger Ultimate Birthday sitting in your club, check whether any other active evolutions are compatible before committing. Stacking evolutions on one card is often more efficient than spreading them across your squad.

How to get the most out of this evolution

The five-level structure rewards patience. Playing one match per level means you can have a fully upgraded card within a single session if you have the time. Do not rush the process by quitting matches early since the game requires completing the match to register progress.

The stat profile of a fully upgraded card leans heavily toward a complete, box-to-box midfielder: 96 Short Passing, 96 Stamina, 96 Long Passing, 95 Aggression, 96 Vision, and 92 Finishing. That is a card that can sit deep, recycle possession, and still threaten on late runs into the box.

warning

Double-check the PlayStyle+ count on any card before applying the evo. Cards sitting at exactly 3 PlayStyles+ qualify, but anything above that is locked out. This catches players out more often than the overall cap does.

For more upgrade options across different positions and budgets, the EA SPORTS FC 26 guides collection covers every active evo in the game right now.

Looking for more evo options?

The Do It Like Yaya evo is specifically built for CMs, but if you are working other positions at the same time, there are solid options available. The Gold Standard Evolution guide covers a token-based evo with four upgrade levels that pairs well with this one if you are building out your midfield. For central defenders, the El Kaiser Evolution is a free evo with five upgrade levels and some of the best CB stat ceilings available right now. If you play sports games competitively, running multiple evos simultaneously across your squad is the fastest way to close the gap on squads built with high-end packs.