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FIFA 21 best Career Mode teams: Top 6 clubs to manage
Whether you want to go in at the very top level or start from a scrappier, less well-known team, FIFA 21's Career mode can accommodate you
Career Mode remains one of the most popular modes in FIFA, giving you the comprehensive experience of managing a football club, including playing matches, signing and selling players, taking training sessions, and even completing interviews.
It does ask for a bit of commitment though. While you can chop and change jobs throughout a career, for most players it means sticking with the same club for a little while. Seeing through two seasons, then imploding with boredom during the third season and forcing a move to a new, fresh league is often how it goes. It’s Jose Mourinho mode, basically.
While you can constantly change up your team for Online Seasons or Ultimate Team, Career Mode requires a bit more thought. Here, we’ve suggested six of the most interesting managerial experiences in FIFA 21.
1. Chelsea
Similarly to many years past, Chelsea has an excellent FIFA team
© EA
While they’re clearly behind Liverpool and Man City in the Premier League, Chelsea has an excellent FIFA team – especially since the side has just signed explosive stars like Ziyech and Werner. Lately, Chelsea has added a touch of midfield class in Havertz and a stable defender in Thiago Silva, all of whom join Christian Pulisic and N’Golo Kante in a Chelsea team packed with stars.
Pace is always a huge asset in FIFA, and after a summer of spending where Frank Lampard was accused of playing Career Mode in real life, they’re well-positioned to be a delight in FIFA 21. There’s weaknesses at the back, sure, but with a healthy £75+ million budget, you can patch them up on your own terms.
2. Barcelona
Barcelona may be one of the best Career choices you can make
© EA
Barcelona has had some fairly disappointing Champions League spells recently, but the Spanish team has got class all over the pitch – and one of the game’s biggest budgets to boot, clearing £160 million.
In real life, a lot of their superstars can be inconsistent, and it remains to be seen how good a season a very clearly eager-to-depart Messi will have at the Camp Nou. But on FIFA 21, those troubles melt away. Barca is one of the best teams in the world, but faces serious challenges in their own league from their two Madrid rivals. The team also places a high value on Youth Development, meaning you’ll get the full La Masia experience.
3. Bayern Munich
Bayern is a great choice if you want to experience some European footie
© EA
They’re the European Champions, so they’ve got to be in with a shout. Bayern is one of the more malleable top teams, able to play counter-attack football through Sane and Gnabry, sit deep and soak up the pressure with a strong back five, or play a compact midfield and run creativity through Alphonso Davies out wide.
Whatever they do though – with Lewandowski upfront – they score goals. With a tidy budget that clears £100 million, you can build a team of your own making with the impressive array of tools the game gives you.
4. Watford
Watford is a good choice if you want to experience grass roots football
© EA
Not everyone plays Career Mode to win the Champions League, however. If you want a more grounded experience, if you want some ‘proper’ football, the EFL Championship is where it’s at. Far more unpredictable and dramatic than the Premier League, the Championship makes up for what it lacks in quality with a big pile of drama.
If you’re tired of life at the top, consider Watford. They’re the Championship’s best side on paper, have over £30 million to spend – a lot of money considering the company they keep – and let’s face it, after years of chopping and changing managers, you could be the one to provide them with some stability.
5. Inter Milan
Inter Milan is one of the very best teams out there
© EA
Maybe even moreso than Chelsea, Inter Milan feels a bit like a Career Mode team. Ashley Young, Romelu Lukaku, Christian Eriksen, Arturo Vidal, Alexis Sanchez, Radja Nainggolan, and Aleksandar Kolarov? They’re like a grab bag of random top-level footy players, and fresh from a Europa League victory, with close to £90 million to spend in a competitive league, Inter Milan could make for an extremely entertaining Career Mode choice for you. Especially if your plan is to just continue signing recognisable names and hoping for the best.
6. RB Leipzig
You could do far worse than opting for Leipzig
© EA
If you don’t fancy being the reigning Bundesliga and European champions, you might want to take on the Kings of Europe in their own back yard through RB Leipzig. They’ve finished second once and third twice in the past four seasons, and have been knocking on the door of their first Bundesliga title.
Could you be the one to guide them to it? They might have lost Timo Werner to Chelsea, but they’ve still got Sabitzer and have just added Justin Kluivert (son of Dutch legend Patrick) to their ranks, so promise good returns in a Career Mode which also offers a budget of £50 million.
