FC 26: How to Complete the Bar Down Brilliance Woodwork Task for Maradona

One of the trickiest tasks standing between FC 26 players and the 97-rated Maradona card has a surprisingly reliable workaround. According to Destructoid, the Bar Down Brilliance objective inside the Journey of Nations: Europe set requires scoring a goal directly off the woodwork using a German or French player, and the outlet has detailed a penalty-kick method to strip out most of the randomness.

What the Bar Down Brilliance task actually demands

The objective sits within the Germany + France leg of the Journey of Nations: Europe campaign, one of several national groupings EA Sports has built into the promo. Destructoid explains that the requirement looks simple on paper: hit the post or crossbar before the ball crosses the line, using an eligible German or French player in any Ultimate Team game mode.

In practice, getting the ball to rebound off the woodwork and still find the net is notoriously inconsistent in open play, which is why so many FUT grinders have been stuck on this particular step. Destructoid’s guide is built around removing that guesswork rather than relying on lucky deflections during a normal match.

The penalty kick method Destructoid recommends

Rather than chasing woodwork strikes from open play, Destructoid suggests setting up a controlled penalty scenario in Friendlies mode. Players either connect a second controller for Couch Play or invite a friend online, then arrange for that second player to commit a foul inside the box so a spot kick is awarded.

From there, the aiming instructions are specific: push the left stick close to 90 degrees to either side, targeting as far into the corner as possible, and stop the shooting circle just before it fully shrinks so the strike lands slightly off target rather than dead centre. Destructoid also recommends picking a player with strong penalty-taking attributes, since that makes it easier to control the shrinking circle with precision.

Followed correctly, that combination increases the odds of the ball clipping the inside of the post and deflecting into the net, satisfying the objective’s exact requirement. Destructoid notes the method won’t land every single time, so players should be prepared to reset and retake several penalties, since a ball that flies wide or over will not count toward the task.

Why this matters for the Maradona chase

Bar Down Brilliance is only one hurdle inside a much larger set of requirements gating the Journey of Nations: Europe rewards, which Destructoid confirms culminates in the 97-rated Maradona item. The same promo path also includes a special Gerd Müller card, making the full objective list worth completing for collectors chasing multiple icon-tier rewards rather than a single card.

Objective-based content like this has become a core pillar of how EA Sports paces FUT engagement throughout a season, giving free-to-progress players a route to elite cards without relying purely on packs. Tasks tied to unusual in-game events, such as woodwork goals or specific nationality restrictions, are typically the ones that generate the most community friction, since they depend on game mechanics players can’t fully control through skill alone.

For Australian and New Zealand FUT players working through the same servers as the rest of the world, the fix requires no regional workaround, just a spare controller or a willing friend online to force the penalty setup Destructoid describes. Given how many objective sets EA Sports has queued up around Maradona and other icons this year, having a repeatable method for awkward one-off tasks like this is likely to keep proving useful well beyond this single promo.

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