EA FC 26 Wonderkids: The Best Young Players With High Potential

These wonderkids could carry your club for years in EA FC 26's career mode.

Lamine Yamal is the best youngster in EA FC 26, by some margin. / David Ramirez/Soccrates/Getty Images

There are plenty of ways to dive into Career Mode in EA FC 26, the latest edition of the world’s most popular football game.

You could take the easier route, picking a giant with an unlimited budget and turning them into an unstoppable dynasty. Or you might go for the ultimate challenge, starting with a tiny lower-league club and dragging them to the top on a shoestring budget. Of course, there’s always the middle ground too—not too easy, not too hard.

Whichever path you choose, one thing remains the key to long-term success: signing the right young players. Secure the stars of tomorrow early, and they’ll carry your club for seasons to come.

Here, using data from FUTWIZ and CM Tracker, we’ve rounded up the best men's wonderkids (aged 20 and under) in EA FC 26 Career Mode, broken down by position, complete with their current ratings, potential ratings and costs – so you can find the perfect signing no matter your budget.

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Best Young Players in EA FC 26 Career Mode

Before diving into the specifics of each position—where you’ll find a more detailed breakdown of the best young players to sign—here’s a quick summary of the top 11 wonderkids (a whole team's worth) you can buy in EA FC 26 Career Mode.

They’ve been ranked by overall potential, and as you might expect, most of these names are among the most famous and expensive prospects in the game.

Looking for some cheaper, lesser known alternatives? Don’t worry—keep reading.

Player	Club	Age	Position	Rating	Potential
Lamine Yamal	Barcelona	18	RM	89	95
Endrick	Real Madrid	19	ST	77	91
Désiré Doué	Paris Saint-Germain	20	RW	85	91
João Neves	Paris Saint-Germain	20	CM	85	90
Estêvão	Chelsea	18	RM	78	89
Arda Güler	Real Madrid	20	RM	81	89
Jorthy Mokio	Ajax	17	CDM	70	89
Rodrigo Mora	Porto	18	CAM	76	89
Kenan Yıldız	Juventus	20	CAM	79	89
Jorrel Hato	Chelsea	19	LB	78	89
Dean Huijsen	Real Madrid	20	CB	82	89

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Best Young Strikers in EA FC 26 Career Mode

Endrick is EA FC 26's top young striker. / IMAGO/Pressinphoto

No surprise here—Real Madrid’s wonderkid Endrick tops the list as EA FC 26’s best young striker.

Already one of the highest-rated strikers aged 20 or under, his enormous 91 potential means he can eventually catch up to two highest-rated players in the men’s game right now—Kylian Mbappé and Mohamed Salah.

Chasing Endrick is Lecce's Francesco Camarda and Tottenham’s Mathys Tel, who can 87 and 86 respectively, while fellow Brazilian Vitor Roque and Bologna’s Santiago Castro are also standout prospects worth snapping up.

Player	Club	Age	Rating	Potential	Value (~)
Endrick	Real Madrid	19	77	91	£20m
Francesco Camarda	Lecce	17	65	87	£2m
Mathys Tel	Tottenham Hotspur	20	77	86	£19m
Conrad Harder	RB Leipzig	20	74	85	£7.5m
Eli Junior Kroupi	AFC Bournemouth	19	74	85	£7.5m
Vitor Roque	Real Betis	20	77	85	£18.5m
Charalampos Kostoulas	Brighton & Hove Albion	18	72	85	£4.5m
Chido Obi	Manchester United	17	65	84	£1.5m
Marc Guiu	Chelsea	19	71	84	£3.5m
Christian Kofane	Bayer Leverkusen	19	68	84	£2.5m

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Best Young Right Wingers in EA FC 26 Career Mode

The sky is the limit for Estêvão. / Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Again, no surprises here: Lamine Yamal tops the list of best young right wingers in EA FC 26.

The 2025 Ballon d’Or runner-up is already rated 89 overall, making him one of the best players in the entire game right now. Even scarier? His potential climbs to 95, putting him in the same conversation as the greatest players ever seen in EA FC (or FIFA).

Of course, such talent doesn’t come cheap—expect to pay around £119 million.

For those on a tighter budget, however, there are some gems out wide, including Borussia Dortmund's Julien Duranville and Real Betis' Pablo García, who can both reach 87 overall and will set you back £5 million or less apiece.

Player	Club	Age	Rating	Potential	Value (~)
Lamine Yamal	Barcelona	18	89	95	£119m
Désiré Doué	Paris Saint-Germain	20	85	91	£68m
Estêvão	Chelsea	18	78	89	£24m
Arda Güler	Real Madrid	20	81	89	£45.5m
Geovany Quenda	Sporting CP	18	76	88	£14m
Pablo García	Real Betis	19	68	87	£2.5m
Ethan Nwaneri	Arsenal	18	76	87	£12.5m
Julien Duranville	Borussia Dortmund	19	72	87	£5m
João Costa	Al Ettifaq	20	71	86	£4m
Chemsdine Talbi	Sunderland	20	73	86	£6.5m

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Best Young Left Wingers in EA FC 26 Career Mode

Rio Ngumoha has a bright future ahead of him. / George Wood/Getty Images

Unlike on the right wing—where the best young options in EA FC 26 generally come at a premium—the left side offers plenty of talented youngsters with high ceilings available for a bargain.

Perhaps the pick of the bunch is Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha, who costs just £2.5 million but can grow to 88 overall—arguably the best-value signing in the entire game, regardless of position.

Alternatively, Bayern Munich’s Wisdom Mike costs less than £1 million and can rise from 61 to 85 overall.

That jump of 24 makes him the single biggest growth player in EA FC 26 Career Mode.

Player	Club	Age	Rating	Potential	Value (~)
Rio Ngumoha	Liverpool	17	68	88	£2.5m
Antonio Nusa	RB Leipzig	20	76	88	£14.5m
Assane Diao Diaoune	Como	20	76	87	£8m
Leo Sauer	Feyenoord	19	72	86	£5m
Jean-Mattéo Bahoya	Eintracht Frankfurt	20	75	86	£11m
Malick Fofana	Lyon	20	78	86	£28m
Mikey Moore	Rangers	17	72	86	£5m
Mika Godts	Ajax	20	74	85	£8.5m
Wisdom Mike	Bayern Munich	17	61	85	£900,000
Antoñito Cordero	Westerlo	18	69	85	£3.2

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Best Young Midfielders in EA FC 26 Career Mode

João Neves is EA FC 26's best young midfielder. / LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images

From CAMs who slice open defenses to CDMs shielding the back four – and those tireless box-to-box engines – midfielders form the spine of any successful team. It’s no different in EA FC 26 Career Mode.

At the top of the list of the best young midfielders in the game is Paris Saint-Germain’s João Neves. Already rated 85 overall with a potential ceiling of 90, he’s the most complete young midfielder you can buy – though he’ll cost you around £64 million.

His teammate Warren Zaïre-Emery is another gem from the French capital. With a potential of 87 and valued at roughly £33 million, he’s slightly cheaper but just as reliable.

If your budget isn’t in PSG territory, there are plenty of bargains. Rodrigo Mora (Porto) and Kees Smit (AZ Alkmaar) both have the attributes to grow into world-class players. But the true steal of the bunch is Ajax’s Jorthy Mokio. Available for under £1 million with a potential of 89, he’s easily one of the best value signings in Career Mode.

Player	Club	Age	Position	Rating	Potential	Value (~)
João Neves	Paris Saint-Germain	20	CM	85	90	£64m
Jorthy Mokio	Ajax	17	CDM	70	89	£800,000
Rodrigo Mora	Porto	18	CAM	76	89	£14m
Kenan Yıldız	Juventus	20	CAM	79	89	£31m
Franco Mastantuono	Real Madrid	18	CAM	77	88	£17.5m
Lucas Bergvall	Tottenham Hotspur	19	CM	77	87	£18m
Kees Smit	AZ Alkmaar	19	CAM	72	87	£4.5m
Arthur Vermeeren	Marseille	20	CM	77	87	£18.5m
Warren Zaïre-Emery	Paris Saint-Germain	19	CM	80	87	£33m
Lennart Karl	Bayern Munich	17	CAM	63	87	£1m

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Best Young Centre-Backs in EA FC 26 Career Mode

Dean Huijsen. / Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

If you’re after a bargain centre-back with huge potential in EA FC 26 Career Mode, the Bundesliga is the place to look.

VfB Stuttgart’s Finn Jeltsch and Hamburger SV’s Luka Vušković are both available for around £4 million, yet each can develop into defenders rated as high as 87.

If you want the very best though, you’ll need to spend big. Real Madrid’s Dean Huijsen boasts the highest ceiling of any young central defender in EA FC 26, but naturally comes with a hefty price tag.

You can find more high potential centre backs for FC 26 on our dedicated page.

Player	Club	Age	Rating	Potential	Value (~)
Dean Huijsen	Real Madrid	20	82	89	£45m
Pau Cubarsí	Barcelona	18	82	88	£32.5m
Finn Jeltsch	VfB Stuttgart	19	72	87	£4m
Luka Vušković	Hamburger SV	18	72	87	£4m
El Chadaille Bitshiabu	RB Leipzig	20	75	87	£10.5m
Pietro Comuzzo	Fiorentina	20	74	86	£8m
Leny Yoro	Manchester United	17	78	86	£23m
Joane Gadou	RB Salzburg	18	66	85	£1.5m
Yarek Gąsiorowski	PSV Eindhoven	20	73	85	£5.5m
Pau Navarro	Villarreal	20	70	85	£3m

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Best Young Left-Backs in EA FC 26 Career Mode

Jorrel Hato joined Chelsea in the summer. / IMAGO/Pro Shots

When it comes to left-backs, EA FC 26 Career Mode players aren’t exactly spoiled for choice like in other positions – but there are still a few world-class options and several hidden gems worth picking up, none of which will break the bank.

At the top end of the scale sit Chelsea’s Jorrel Hato and Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, both valued at around £23 million, and both capable of becoming world-class full-backs with time.

If your budget’s tighter, though, there are still bargains to be found. Manchester United’s Diego Leon, for example, costs just £1.5 million and has the potential to grow into a dependable starter for almost any side with the right development plan.

For a deeper dive into the best high-potential left-backs in EA FC 26 Career Mode, check out our full guide.

Player	Club	Age	Rating	Potential	Value (~)
Jorrel Hato	Chelsea	19	78	89	£23.5m
Myles Lewis-Skelly	Arsenal	18	78	87	£23m
Diego Leon	Manchester United	18	64	85	£1.5m
Patrick Dorgu	Manchester United	20	75	84	£10m
Yaimar Medina	KRC Genk	20	70	84	£3m
Nico O'Reilly	Manchester City	20	75	83	£9.5m
Harry Amass	Sheffield Wednesday	18	68	83	£2m
Lucas Jetten	Ajax	18	62	82	£1m
Andre Garcia	Reading	17	63	82	£1m
Adam Aznou	Everton	19	66	82	£1.5m

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Best Young Right-Backs in EA FC 26 Career Mode

Givairo Read is a gem. / Getty/Pim Waslander

If you’re after a young, high-ceiling right-back to sign in EA FC 26 Career Mode, look no further than Feyenoord’s Givairo Read. He boasts a massive 89 potential rating and comes in at a bargain £10.5 million – making him one of the best-value wonderkids in the game.

If that’s still a bit steep for your budget, Chelsea’s Josh Acheampong is a fantastic alternative – a strong, versatile defender who can also develop into a top-tier centre-back. Meanwhile, Club Brugge’s Kyriani Sabbe is ideal if you want an attack-minded full-back who loves to bomb forward and contribute in the final third.

Want a deeper dive into the best high-potential right-backs in EA FC 26 Career Mode? Check out our full guide.

Player	Club	Age	Rating	Potential	Value (~)
Givairo Read	Feyenoord	19	75	88	£10.5m
Joaquin Seys	Club Brugge	20	73	86	£5.5m
Martim Fernandes	Porto	19	75	85	£9.5m
Josh Acheampong	Chelsea	19	70	85	£3m
Elias Baum	Eintracht Frankfurt	19	72	84	£4.5m
Kyriani Sabbe	Club Brugge	20	71	84	£3.5m
Rico Lewis	Manchester City	20	77	84	£16m
Semm Renders	Antwerp	17	62	84	£1m
Colby Donovan	Celtic	19	64	83	£1m
Kosta Nedeljkovic	RB Leipzig	19	72	83	£4m

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Best Young Goalkeepers in EA FC 26 Career Mode

You'll want Guillaume Restes in your team. / Getty

In the footballing world, goalkeepers often blossom later in their careers—and EA FC 26 Career Mode reflects that.

You won’t find many 20-and-under wonderkids with sky-high ceilings like Yamal or Endrick, but what you will find is a wide selection of affordable young shot-stoppers who can lock down the position for years to come.

There are still a couple of clear standouts, though. Guillaume Restes (Toulouse) leads the way with a potential of 86, while Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liège) isn’t far behind on 85. Both are solid long-term options, and while Epolo is the cheaper of the two, Restes feels like the safest bet if you want a keeper capable of hitting near-elite levels.

For more, check out our full list of young goalkeepers to buy on FC26 career mode.

Player	Club	Age	Rating	Potential	Value (~)
Guillaume Restes	Toulouse	20	78	86	£21.5m
Matthieu Epolo	Standard Liege	20	73	85	£5m
Dennis Seimen	SC Paderborn 07	19	66	84	£1.5m
Mike Penders	RC Strasbourg	20	73	84	£4.5m
Lucca Brughmans	Genk	17	59	82	£500,000
Tiago Pereira Cardoso	Borussia Monchengladbach	19	67	82	£1.5m
Robin Risser	RC Lens	20	72	82	£3.5m
Ewen Jaouen	Stade de Reims	19	68	82	£2m
Mathys Niflore	USL Dunkerque	18	63	81	£900,000
Joeri Heerkens	Ajax	19	64	80	£1m

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Young Players with the Highest Growth Potential in EA FC 26 Career Mode

Wisdom Mike can grow a tonne in EA FC 26. / IMAGO/Kirchner-Media

So far in this article, we’ve discussed the best young players to buy in EA FC 26 Career Mode by position—all under 20 and based on their maximum rating potential.

But what about those who can actually grow the most? That’s what we’re looking at here—the players with the biggest room for improvement.

The list is led by Bayern Munich youngster Wisdom Mike, who can grow a whopping 24 ratings in-game, jumping from a mere bronze winger to one of the best prospects around.

Other youngsters who can improve massively include Major League Soccer trio Zavier Gozo, Nimfasha Berchimas, and Christopher Cupps—all of whom can rise by over 20 ratings. Ecuadorian winger Justin Lerma is another with huge potential.

Coming in at bargain prices but with enormous upside, these 10 players are smart long-term investments for any Career Mode team.

Player	Club	Age	Position	Rating	Potential	Growth Potential	Value (~)
Wisdom Mike	Bayern Munich	16	LM	61	85	24	£900,000
Zavier Gozo	Real Salt Lake	18	RW	58	80	22	£600,000
Frederik Damkjer	Viborg FF	17	CM	58	80	22	£550,000
Nimfasha Berchimas	Charlotte FC	17	LM	57	79	22	£450,000
Christopher Cupps	Chicago Fire	17	CB	55	77	22	£350,000
Vitus Friis	Odense Boldklub	18	CDM	55	76	21	£350,000
Moncef Zekri	KV Mechelen	16	LM	61	82	21	£900,000
Tijn Van Ingelgom	KV Mechelen	18	GK	58	79	21	£550,000
Ruud Nijstad	FC Twente	17	CB	63	84	21	£1.3m
Justin Lerma	Independiente del Valle	17	LM	63	84	21	£1.4m

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How to Grow Wonderkids in EA FC 26 Career Mode

EA FC 26 is the latest edition of the world's most-popular football gaming series. / EA Sports

There are several factors that contribute to the growth of wonderkids, and other players with room to develop, in EA FC 26 Career Mode.

First and foremost, they need to play. Their development depends on the bonus they earn from minutes and performance, so it’s highly recommended to play the games rather than simulate them all. This gives you better control and helps them perform at their best.

The second factor is utilising player development plans. This Career Mode tool allows you to assign a specific role to a player, focus on improving certain key attributes, or even change their position over time. Pick the shortest-duration plan that fits your goals and review it every couple of months to ensure it’s still the best approach for your player.

EA Sports has also added a number of new features in EA FC 26 to make youth development easier than ever.

You can now make substitutions during Youth Tournaments to adjust if a game isn’t going your way, disable the Youth Academy entirely to manually control player progression, or focus entirely on academy players with the new Youth Revolution mode, which disables transfers. There are also Youth-Specific Challenges that reward you for using and developing academy players.

There’s never been a better time to turn a wonderkid into a world-beater.

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