Gaming
A good first career-mode season is nice and all that, but it's even better to dominate over the next five years or so, watching your youngsters become monsters (making Europe's biggest clubs salivate with envys. As we all take our first steps with EA Sports FC 26 , here's a perfect list for recruiting the best young strikers on the planet, because we don't all have the money to prise Kylian Mbappé away from Real Madrid.
Note: As Electronic Arts decided to change the designation of certain positions, Lamine Yamal is now listed as a right midfielder, and is therefore to be found in our list of the best young midfielders.
01
Désiré Doué - RW
- 21, France, Paris Saint Germain
- Overall rating: 85
- Potential: 91
PSG's Désiré Doué is one of the best young attackers out there with a potential of 91. The bonus is that he's already at 85 overall. The associated problem, however, is that this makes him all the more difficult to recruit. At just 20 years of age, his market value is already estimated at $105m on transfermarkt, but if you've got the money, he'll pay it back in spades.
02
Savinho - RW
- 21, Brazil, Manchester City
- Overall rating: 82
- Potential: 87
Savinho was been a sparkling performer at Girona in 2023, and now needs to prove his worth at Manchester City. With competition from other high-potential players such as Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki, the task looks tricky. If he ever decides to look for a new home, don't hesitate to jump at the chance.
03
Endrick - ST
- 19, Brazil, Real Madrid
- Overall rating: 77
- Potential: 91
With a starting point of 77 and a potential of up to 91, Endrick is clearly the wonderkid to snap up. To give you an idea of his potential, 91 is at the top end of the scale, with the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Mohamed Salah and Ousmane Dembélé all in the mix. In other words, it's giving Ballon d'Or energy.
04
Samu - ST
- 21, Spain, FC Porto
- Overall rating: 79
- Potential: 86
Less well known than the previous three players, Samu, who trained at Granada, went on to play for Deportivo Alavés and is now with Porto, still has some serious credentials. With a 94 rebound rate and 82 header accuracy, he has the potential to become the next Christian Vieri (especially as the man is 1.93m tall).
05
Jhon Durán - ST
- 21, Colombia, Fenerbahçe
- Overall rating: 79
- Potential: 86
We're off to Turkey with Jhon Duran. The 21-year-old Colombian plays for Fenerbahçe on loan from Al-Nassr at the moment. Already an international, Chelsea were interested in him during his time at Aston Villa (yes, he has already collected a few air miles) and now all he needs is a phone call from you to become part of a long-term project and reach his full potential.
06
Mathys Tel - ST
- 20, France, Tottenham
- Overall rating: 77
- Potential: 86
After a crazy start to the season with Bayern Munich in 2024/2025, Mathys Tel struggled to settle with the Bavarian giant. Now, after a successful loan spell, he's at Tottenham. If you want a player who can breach any defense, with his 85 acceleration, 87 pace and 81 dribbling ability, Tel is the perfect option, especially as he will continue to improve.
07
Santiago Castro - ST
- 21, Argentina, Bologna
- Overall rating: 76
- Potential: 84
Playing for Bologna, Santiago Castro is the easiest player on this list to sign. Despite this, he is as complete as they come and could become the cornerstone of your attack, and having an Argentinian up front is always entertaining.
08
Mohamed-Ali Cho - LW
- 21, France, OGC Nice
- Overall rating: 76
- Potential: 83
Mohamed-Ali Cho made his name at Angers SCO after training with Paris Saint Germain, before heading off to Gipuzkoa and Real Sociedad. While it didn't necessarily work out for him in San Sebastian, he did come back with a new nickname: Momo Txo. Now at OGC Nice, he represents a good option with his speed and dribbling ability.
09
Francesco Camarda - ST
- 17, Italy, Lecce
- Overall rating: 65
- Potential: 87
This one's a long-term project. Francesco Camarda is only 17 years old, so we advise you to sit him on your bench for a while before integrating him into your 11. However, like Endrick, he's one of the elite in terms of pure potential.
10
Ethan Nwaneri - RW
- 18, England, Arsenal FC
- Overall rating: 76
- Potential: 87
Technical and tricky, Ethan Nwaneri is already valued at $64m on Transfermarkt. The youngster came up at Arsenal and still plays for the Gunners, but if he finds himself short of playing time, we're counting on you to offer him a new home.
So, while we're waiting to take a look at the best young defenders and goalkeepers in EA FC 26, you'll have enough to fill out your midfield engine room and your forward line for years to come, until you can compete with the giants of your league.