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The FIFA 18 Career Mode World-Beating Wonderkid XI
FIFA 18 is here, so we’ve picked out 11 of the hottest prospects in football for you to sign. Checkbooks at the ready ...
With FIFA 18 on the shelves, it’s time to dive into the transfer market and unearth the next Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.
You don’t need us to tell you about Kylian Mbappé or Ousmane Dembélé — their transfer fees do that for them — and players such as Gabriel Jesus and Marcus Rashford are already regulars in the Premier League, but there are plenty more young bucks out there with bright futures ahead of them.
Every single player on this list is aged 21 or under, so they’ve still got plenty of time to develop, but with most rated above 80, adding one of them will improve almost any squad immediately.
They won’t come cheap but their price tags are only likely to attract more zeros as the seasons go on, so get in now before you have to pay Neymar money.
These are the wonderkids you need
© EA Sports
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma
Goalkeepers traditionally improve with age, so considering Gianluigi Donnarumma already has the same overall rating as the significantly more experienced Wojciech Szczęsny, PSG’s Kevin Trapp and England’s first-choice Joe Hart, it’s almost frightening just how good Milan’s 18-year-old stopper could conceivably go on to be. Standing six feet five inches tall, with 88 for diving and reflexes, plus positioning and handling stats that are both pushing 80, he’s a formidable obstacle for opposition strikers to get past. Donnarumma is a shoo-in to succeed the mighty Gigi Buffon as Italy’s number one, and also likely to feature in our wonderkid selection for another three straight FIFA games.
Defenders
Jonathan Tah (CB)
One look at Bayer Leverkusen’s imposing Jonathan Tah and you’d assume he was purely a battering ram, interested only in clearing the ball no matter who or what was in his way, but there’s more to the six-foot-four-inch defender than meets the eye. As center-halves go he’s not slow, particularly considering his build, and with those defensive and physical stats he’ll take no nonsense when the ball comes into the mixer. A four-star weak-foot rating makes him suitable for playing on the left of three right-footed center backs.
Davinson Sánchez (CB)
Despite being recently signed from Ajax, Spurs’ Colombian center half isn’t some lightweight beanpole who strokes the ball around first and worries about defending later. His physical and defensive numbers are in the low 80s, while pace of 71 is comparable to Isco, Iniesta and new team-mate Harry Kane, who aren’t exactly plodders. With the ball at his feet his stats aren’t dissimilar to Juve’s Giorgio Chiellini with 60 for dribbling, while his passing stat of 50 is comparable with Gary Cahill or Bayern Munich’s Niklas Süle, making him a good choice for anyone after a strong, imposing central defender who won’t be easily caught out in possession.
Andreas Christensen (CB)
Chelsea’s Christensen is one of the many players perennially loaned out by the West London club, but his two seasons spent at Borussia Monchengladbach haven’t done his development any harm. His pace and passing stats aren’t as high as they probably should be, but it’s the art of defending itself where his strengths lie. An 81 overall, with good numbers for marking and interceptions, means he does the simple things well, although his low physical stat means he might lose out to brute force. Read the game correctly, though, and that shouldn’t be a problem.
Midfielders
Thomas Lemar (LM)
Lemar was subject to bids from Liverpool and Arsenal in the summer transfer window but he remains a Monaco player — for now. It’s not difficult to see what attracted the Premier League clubs though; Lemar does absolutely everything you could want from a wide player. His pace and dribbling stats are both in the high eighties, with passing and shooting not far behind. Throw in decent defensive and physical numbers for when the ball’s with the opposition and the hard-working 21-year-old is a consummate all-rounder, in a position that’s so often a little one-dimensional.
Youri Tielemans (CM)
Tielemans has been a career mode favourite since FIFA 16, quietly building his reputation as one of Europe’s most promising central midfielders at his boyhood club Anderlecht. Now at Monaco he’s put his not inconsiderable talents in the spotlight. Tielemans is very much two-footed, which is vital for a player operating under pressure in a crowded midfield, and with 77 for dribbling and 80 for passing he’s got the ability to consistently find teammates and recycle possession. He’s no pushover either and with 79 for shooting he’ll chip in with some goals if he finds himself with time and space on the edge of the area too.
Rúben Neves (CM)
Rúben Neves broke records left, right and center as a youngster at FC Porto and he’s still only 20, so what’s he doing playing for Wolves in the English Championship? Good question, but it does mean he could be tempted away by any top-division side. Most comfortable in a deep-lying midfield role, his short and long passing stats make him more of a quarterback than a destroyer but he’s not lightweight either. He might not have the highest overall rating on this list but with no real weaknesses the Portuguese youngster is the kind of player you can build a team around.
Christian Pulisic (RM)
The best thing to happen to American football since Clint Dempsey started rapping, Christian Pulisic has been knocking around Dortmund’s first team for nearly two years already and he’s only just turned 19. An elegant attacker with 91 for agility, 92 for balance, two quick feet and a burst of pace, he’ll find gaps in opposition defenses and either wriggle through them or find team-mates with his neat passing. Like Donnarumma, the fact that Pulisic has progressed so far, so quickly means the sky really is the limit for the Pennsylvanian teenager.
These are the FIFA wonderkids you need
© EA Sports
Forwards
Marco Asensio (LW)
If you created a player on FIFA with 100 for shooting and brought them to life you’d get Marco Asensio. Seriously, go and watch some of his goals. The boy just can’t seem to miss. It’s no surprise, then, that the Real Madrid forward is the joint highest-rated player aged 21 or under on FIFA 18 (the other is Dele Alli) with 87 for long shots and 81 for shot power. The game has Asensio down as a CAM but he can also play on either wing or up top, and anyone who’s watched him play for Madrid in the past 12 months will know how dangerous he can be from anywhere across the front, usually drifting in from wide and looking to do damage. If you come up against him, whatever you do, don’t let him shoot.
Kingsley Coman (RW)
Bayern have been searching for successors to Ribéry and Robben for a while now and with Douglas Costa out on loan at Juventus, and Serge Gnabry with Hoffenheim for the season, it could be Kingsley Coman’s time to shine. You’ll want him for his 92 pace, 82 dribbling and four-star skill moves, which, combined with agility and balance in the mid-80s, should help him beat his man, while good stats for shooting mean he can curl a ball into the far corner if he gets inside. 77 for crossing isn’t too shabby either, meaning he can still do damage even if he can’t get into the box.
Timo Werner (ST)
Having provided the goals that propelled RB Leipzig to their surprise third-place finish in the Bundesliga last season, fleet-footed Timo Werner now has the whole of Europe paying attention, including Joachim Löw, the coach of the German national team. With 91 for pace he’ll gobble up the turf once he gets beyond the defence, which combined with his dribbling stat of 80, makes him a real danger with the ball at his feet. His shooting stats have improved across the board from last year, and while a 82 overall might seem low for a striker, it’s better than Fernando Torres, plus his finishing is a very decent 86.
On the bench: If you’re looking for a more physical striker, Ajax’s Kasper Dolberg has been dubbed "the new Zlatan" with 78 overall but a beastly 87 for shot power. Leverkusen’s Julian Brandt (80) shouldn’t cost quite as much as Thomas Lemar, while Chelsea has 76-rated right-midfielder Charly Musonda, with five-star skill moves and 87 for pace, hiding away in their reserves. Dortmund’s Mahmoud Dahoud is a good option in central midfield, while at 76 overall Ajax’s 18-year-old center back Matthijs de Ligt could just be the next Virgil Van Dijk.
