In every FIFA installment, there are talents that explode in Career Mode. But how strong were the FIFA-19-talents in real football? We took a closer look at the strikers.
Update:
In Career Mode, you have the opportunity to develop young players. Some of these talents start with very low ratings but can become some of the best players in the entire game within a few years. The players with the greatest potential in FIFA 19 can be found here:
For clubs that start with a small season budget, it is worth investing in young players. But how good were these talents in real life? This first part focuses on some of the best striker talents.
The best striker talents in real life – Mbappé outshines everyone
These striker talents had a strong season: Many players in FIFA 19 showcased high potential as well as already having a high base rating. The best talent on this list was the young Frenchman Kylian Mbappé.
The PSG forward has a base rating of 87 – and he is already among the top players of the game. His high potential of 95 makes him an absolute world-class player over several seasons. And in real life, Mbappé has once again proven why he is held in such high regard.
33 goals and nine assists in just 29 league games, plus nine goal contributions in eight Champions League matches: Mbappé’s numbers speak for themselves. The forward is definitely among the best that world football currently has to offer.
João Félix: The 19-year-old Portuguese has emerged as one of the most sought-after talents in world football. Technically strong and quick to react: Especially since January 2019, João Félix has dominated the game at Benfica Lisbon, scoring goals consistently.
This did not go unnoticed: For the upcoming season, the forward is transferring for a nine-figure sum to Atlético Madrid. In Career Mode, João Félix has a potential of 87, and in Ultimate Team, he has a TOTS card that is even stronger:
David Neres: At Ajax Amsterdam, many talents emerged this season – especially due to their remarkable successes in the Champions League. David Neres is one of them. The offensive player has a base rating of 79 in FIFA 19, which can be increased to 87.
In the past season, Neres was one of the regulars at Ajax, scoring eight goals and providing eleven assists. The Brazilian has also attracted the interest of several top clubs. In Ultimate Team, his strong season was rewarded with a TOTS card:
Federico Chiesa: The Italian is a homegrown talent of AC Florence, where he was almost consistently in the starting eleven last season. Six goals and seven assists are a solid return in the league, plus an additional eight goal contributions in four cup matches.
Chiesa also impressed at the U21 European Championship. For the upcoming season, a transfer is on the horizon, with Bayern Munich reportedly showing interest. In FIFA 19, Chiesa has a potential of 86. And of course, the 21-year-old also received a TOTS card in Ultimate Team:
Lautaro Martinez: The Argentine Lautaro Martinez also plays in Italy. In FIFA, he has a potential of 86 – and he demonstrated that he could reach it with strong performances, especially at the Copa America. Although it wasn’t enough to win the title, Martinez showed what he is capable of with an overall strong season.
These talents still have room to grow
While some talents delivered top performances this season, others did not have it quite as easy.
Vinicius Junior: The Brazilian arrived at Real Madrid with a lot of hype, but at first, he could not fully establish himself. He has shown his immense potential, which allows him to rise from 77 to 92 in Career Mode, especially since the turn of the year.
However, an injury sidelined him – he only managed to play again towards the end of the season. It will be interesting to see how Vinicius Junior will fare at Real Madrid in the upcoming season. Will he come close to the potential of his highly regarded Future-Stars card?
Similarly, league rival Malcom (potential: 90) is hoping for a better year: The Brazilian was only on the pitch 15 times in the league, and most of those were substitute appearances. The 22-year-old player from FC Barcelona managed just one goal – so there’s still room for improvement. It’s no wonder that his OTW card did not receive many upgrades:
Gabriel Jesus: Gabriel Jesus has been one of the most popular players in Career Mode for a while and has also impressively showcased his talent in real football. The forward can be improved to a rating of 92. However, last season did not go optimally – even though he won many titles with Manchester City.
Jesus was often only substituted in the league. Nevertheless, he scored seven times and assisted three goals, also winning the Copa America with Brazil. However, it was an up-and-down situation: After scoring the opening goal in the final, he received a red card.
The forward Patrick Cutrone (potential: 89) did not have a much better season at AC Milan. The club’s homegrown player could not build on his strong debut season, partly due to increased competition in Milan.
He only managed three league goals, with just 12 starts compared to 22 substitute appearances. So, Cutrone has not yet come close to his Future-Stars card this year.
Jann-Fiete Arp: The talented forward from Hamburger SV (potential: 88) did not have a particularly successful season. With HSV, Arp missed the chance to return to the Bundesliga and only made 17 appearances. Output: One goal, one assist.
In the upcoming season, Arp will play for FC Bayern Munich. However, it is expected that the forward will primarily gain match practice in the third league with the second team.
Willem Geubbels: No other forward in FIFA 20 can make such a significant leap in performance. Geubbels has a base rating of 64 and can rise to 86. Whether this is justified remains to be seen based on last season as the now 17-year-old missed almost the entire season due to multiple injuries. Will he return to being one of the top talents next season?
Which talents have helped you the most in Career Mode? And who do you want to see as top talents in FIFA 20? Let us know in our Facebook group!
