Gaming
Games
Snap up these top young talents from around the world in FIFA 19
With this FIFA 19 rest of the world wonderkid XI, there's proof that you don't have to play for a big team to be a big deal.
While Europe's major leagues might hog the majority of promising players, the rest of the world is by no means bereft of young talent. That's a good thing for your FIFA 19 Career Mode games.
There are clubs in Belgium, Ukraine, Poland, and North and South America that have some very promising youngsters on their books, many of whom will cost less than their more higher-profile counterparts, so we've put together a team of the best.
As usual, there are a few conditions. All players must be aged 21 or under at the start of a Career Mode game on FIFA 19, they must be available to buy from the very first transfer window, and they can't cost more than €20,000,000. That rules out players like Ezequiel Barco of Atlanta United, and Dynamo Kyiv's highly-rated Viktor Tsygankov, who both command much higher transfer fees.
All prices quoted are ones we've genuinely paid in the game, but negotiations can be different every time, so you may even be able to get them for less, especially if you throw in a sell-on clause.
FIFA 19's rest of the world wonderkid XI defensive line
© EA Sports
Goalkeeper
GK: Wuilker Faríñez (Millonarios FC)
Easily FIFA's most promising young goalkeeper outside of Europe, 20-year-old Venezuelan Wuilker Faríñez is not actually for sale, but there's a €7,000,000 release clause in his contract with Colombian club Millonarios. That’s only two million more than his regular asking price, but considering he’s capable of reaching 83 overall and already has 77 for reflexes, 74 for positioning, and 73 for diving, before long it'll look like a real bargain. The only real issue? Despite a half-decent jumping stat of 78, Faríñez only stands 1.80m tall so he's not the best at dealing with shots aimed right into the top corners.
Defence
LB: Kieran Tierney (Celtic)
Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk made his name in Glasgow, before moving south of the border to become one of the best centre-backs in Europe, and Kieran Tierney could be next to follow in his footsteps. With 88 for stamina, the hard-working full-back puts a shift in with and without the ball, plus he's stronger and more aggressive than he looks. His pace, dribbling and crossing skills make him particularly potent in possession, while tackling and marking stats in the 70s mean he's also no pushover for opposition wingers. The 21-year-old is already rated 76 overall, and can go on to reach 86, so Celtic won't let him go for much less than €17,000,000.
CB: Alan Franco (Independiente)
Argentina has produced some of the best attacking footballers the game has ever seen, but that's not to say they don't know how to defend. Independiente's Alan Franco is a no nonsense centre-back who's unlikely to stay at his hometown club for long.
Rated 78 for both marking and standing tackles, he's also got 75 for interceptions, and 71 for aggression, while heading accuracy of 78, 77 for strength, and 75 for jumping also makes him a threat from set pieces. He's already rated 75 overall, and can reach 85 with the right training, so you'll need to stump up around €10,000,000 if Independiente are going to let him leave.
CB: Dario Maresic (SK Sturm Graz)
The centre of defence isn't usually the place for an 18-year-old, but you can probably make an exception for Sturm Graz's Dario Maresic. Currently rated 72 overall, he might not be ready for every first team yet, but with 76 for standing tackles, 75 for marking, and 74 for sliding tackles, he's already well on the way to fulfilling his potential of 84. Standing 1.80m tall, and with 80 for jumping, 74 for strength, and 73 for stamina, he can handle the physical side of the game. The Austrian side will only want around €3,500.000 to secure the two-footed teenager's services, but you might need to get in quick.
RB: Robert Gumny (Lech Poznań)
With a current overall rating of just 69, Lech Poznań's 20-year-old right-back Robert Gumny will need some work before he's ready for a lot of squads, but the physical attributes are certainly already there: 91 for acceleration, 82 for sprint speed, and 81 for stamina. His tackling needs work, as does his crossing, but with an asking price of just €1,500,000, Gumny is very much one for the future, especially when you consider that he can reach 85 overall with the right type of training. Get in there before someone else does.
FIFA 19's rest of the world wonderkid XI attacking players
© EA Sports
Midfield
CDM: Sander Berge (KRC Genk)
Most defensive midfielders are deployed mainly to protect the back four, but Sander Berge has got the ability to do way more than that. On paper the 20-year-old has everything: 82 for short passing, and 78 for dribbling; 88 for strength, and 74 for standing tackles; 80 for stamina, and 78 for interceptions. Despite standing a massive 2.0m tall he's not slow either.
With an overall rating of 77, Berge will slot into plenty of top sides, and be an absolute star for a mid-table one. A pretty reasonable €14,000,000 is all it takes to tempt him away from Genk, and before long you could have an 87 rated midfielder on your hands.
CM: Exequiel Palacios (River Plate)
Amid rumours linking Exequiel Palacios with a move to Real Madrid, River Plate's 73 rated midfielder might not be a River player for much longer. So, if you want him, you'll want to move in sooner rather than later. Energetic and good on the ball, the 19-year-old is happiest around the opposition's penalty box, and with 77 for long shots and 78 for shot power, it's worth letting him have a go if time and space allows. A potential rating of 85 means the €7,000,000 you'll have to pay for him will soon look like something of a bargain.
CAM: Dani Olmo (Dinamo Zagreb)
Dani Olmo played for both Espanyol and Barcelona as a kid, but joined Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb as a teenager. The move doesn't appear to have hindered the 20-year-old Spaniard's development, with a current overall rating of 76 and the potential to add 10 to that.
A real all-rounder, Olmo has the skills to play almost anywhere in midfield (as long as you don't ask him to tackle), but he's best pushing up the pitch, with good movement, passing, and ball control meaning he can pick out your attackers in more dangerous positions. An offer of around €10,000,000 should be enough to convince Dinamo to let him discuss a move.
Attack
LW: Giorgi Chakvetadze (KAA Gent)
Before he joined Gent in 2017, Giorgi Chakvetadze was apparently on the radar of clubs such as Liverpool, Leverkusen and Hoffenheim. Before long he could well be subject to concrete interest from a Champions League side. Pacey, with impressive dribbling skills, the 18-year-old also has excellent agility (88), and good balance (77), which makes him difficult to stop when he's on the ball.
Just 67 for both crossing and finishing means his end product definitely needs work. However, considering he'll cost you less than €7,000,000, but has the potential to reach 87 overall, it's well worth putting the time in with the Georgian. He could be the next Georgi Kinkladze.
RW: Emmanuel Dennis (Club Brugge)
With 93 for acceleration, 88 for sprint speed, 84 for ball control, and 81 for dribbling, Emmanuel Dennis has all attributes necessary to make him a winger who'll strike fear into the hearts of opposition defenders. That's without mentioning the 83 for agility, and 81 for balance. His crossing stat of 65 might give them some comfort, but 76 for finishing is as good as some outright strikers at this level – he can even play up top if you need him to. Brugge will want around €8,000,000 for the 20-year-old Nigerian, and with the potential to hit 86 overall that's a very reasonable price.
ST: Wesley (Club Brugge)
A teammate of Emmanuel Dennis's in Belgium, Wesley is one of the best-value target men in the game. Club Brugge will ask for around €15,000,000 for the 78 rated Brazilian, but its his potential rating of 86 that makes him such a tempting prospect.
Even now, 95 for strength, 80 for aggression, and 76 for finishing make him a formidable presence in the opposition's penalty box, while 78 for control, 76 for dribbling, and 75 for short passing mean he can bring other players into the game while holding the ball up. With regular interest in the 21-year-old from other clubs, you'd better get in before somebody else does.
