EA FC 25 may not be the newest entry in the fabled EA FC franchise, but the 2024–25 edition of the world’s most popular soccer video game still boasts plenty of players.
If you’re one of those diving and you’re into Career Mode (though this guide is just as useful for Ultimate Team), you’re probably on the hunt for the best young talents in the game—the future superstars who can develop into world-beaters and stay in your squad for years to come.
Fear not—we’ve done the legwork for you.
Here, you’ll find a detailed guide to the best young players in EA FC 25 aged 23 or under, broken down by position, along with insights into the best-value signings to help you build your dream team.
Thank us later.
Highest Rated Youngsters in EA FC 25
Highest Rated Young Goalkeepers in EA FC 25
Getting the right goalkeeper between the sticks can be the difference between glory or failure in Ultimate Team or Career Mode.
Thankfully, there are plenty of top prospects to go for in search of those much-desired clean sheets.
Giorgi Mamardashvili comes in with a high 85 rating in EA FC 25, while Manchester City Women star Khiara Keating sits at 80 at just 20 years of age.
Highest Rated Young Right Backs in EA FC 25
After a ridiculously influential season for Bundesliga title-winning Bayer Leverkusen in 2023–24, it’s little surprise Jeremie Frimpong enjoyed a sharp boost to his rating for EA FC 25.
The Dutchman can fly up and down the right wing with impressive stats in both defence and attack, while the likes of Odilon Kossounou, Maya Le Tissier and Alejandro Balde are also strong options at full back.
Highest Rated Young Centre Backs in EA FC 25
When it comes to young EA FC 25 centre backs, one player stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Rated as low as 75 in FIFA 22, William Saliba has enjoyed a remarkable few years of growth and now comes in at 87 at only 23 years of age.
He’s the leading young defender in the Premier League but there are solid options to consider elsewhere, too.
Manchester City’s Joško Gvardiol is good in the middle and at left back, while speed cheat code Micky van de Ven will be picked up by plenty of Ultimate Team players.
Highest Rated Young Left Backs in EA FC 25
Full backs are so highly sought-after in the modern game and some of the highest rated specialists have devastating stats both in defence and attack.
Lyon Women and France star Selma Bacha is one such talent, boasting strong finishing and physical attributes alongside her rapid pace.
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes offers plenty of gusto from left back, while midfielder by trade Eduardo Camavinga is also capable of filling in out wide.
Highest Rated Young Midfielders in EA FC 25
This is where things start to get truly special.
There are a number of incredible young midfielders in EA FC 25, with Jude Bellingham the leading light with an outrageous 90 rating after winning a La Liga and Champions League double in his first season with Real Madrid.
The England star will be a much-desired youngster, but he won’t be the only one. Bundesliga aces Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz have some brilliant stats, while Lauren James is also able to play in central attacking midfield.
The likes of Pedri, Cole Palmer and Gavi are also great options.
Highest Rated Young Right Wingers in EA FC 25
Bukayo Saka has been Arsenal’s leading man in attack ever since breaking into their starting XI in 2019–20. His development has been incredibly consistent and his brilliant 2023–24 campaign has been rewarded with an 87 rating in EA FC 25.
Lauren James, Rodrygo, Cole Palmer, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nico Williams are also all brilliant options if Saka proves too difficult to acquire in-game.
Highest Rated Young Left Wingers in EA FC 25
Having only boasted a 79 rating in EA FC 24, a brilliant season in La Liga and a wonderful Euro 2024 means Nico Williams is the top young left winger in EA FC 25.
The Spaniard has bags of pace and is a wonderful dribbler, making him an ideal candidate for any La Liga-based Ultimate Team sides.
In the Premier League, stars like Gabriel Martinelli, Savinho and Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon all offer speed with decent finishing and creative stats in the final third.
Highest Rated Young Strikers in EA FC 25
Most positions have some standout young players in EA FC 25, but there’s a bit more of a dearth of options in the striker role. That said, there are still some players who’ll be able to offer decent finishing qualities for a snip of a fee.
Lyon forward Melchie Dumornay is a quick candidate, while Naomie Feller is also rapid. Goncalo Ramos, Benjamin Šeško, Joshua Zirkzee, Santiago Giménez and Rasmus Højlund are some of the leading candidates in the men’s game.
Real Madrid and Brazil youngster Endrick has also picked up his first EA FC rating, being given a 77 card. His in-game stats could increase quickly over the next few years if he lives up to his real life potential.
Best Cheap Young Players on EA FC 25
For players on Career Mode looking for a cheap youngster who can become a world-beater over time, look no further.
Cercle Brugge striker Paris Brunner may start EA FC 25 rated at just 65, but the teenager can hit a score as high as 87 if developed correctly.
Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall can improve to the same rating starting from 68, while Julien Duranville, Mustafa Erhan Hekimoglu, Adrian Liso and Ethan Nwaneri are great attacking prospects.
Our Top 10 Best Young Players in EA FC 25
10. Lena Oberdorf (FC Bayern Women)
Rating: 86
Lena Oberdorf is donning new colours in EA FC 25 having swapped Wolfsburg for Bayern Munich.
The young midfielder has rose to stardom in Germany despite her tender age and will certainly be one of the leading female footballers over the next decade. However, she actually received a small downgrade in EA FC 25, moving from 87 overall to just 86.
Regardless, she’s still a physical enforcer at the base of midfield who isn’t to be messed with.
9. Pedri (Barcelona)
Rating: 86
There was no change to Pedri’s already excellent rating in EA FC 25. The classy Barcelona midfielder maintaining this 86 overall from the previous year, with a good blend of stats that make him an excellent all-rounder in the engine room.
The Euro 2024 winner can also play LW, although he would be wasted out wide, and boasts four-star weak foot and skill moves.
A proper technician.
8. Rodrygo (Real Madrid)
Rating: 86
While eyes are naturally drawn to Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé, the youngest member of that terrifying triumvirate, Rodrygo, is still an astonishing footballer.
Another excellent 2023–24 campaign with Real Madrid saw him boosted a single rating, coming in at 86 overall. With 89 pace, 88 dribbling and 81 shooting, the young Brazilian is certainly worth utilising in EA FC 25.
7. Lauren James (Chelsea Women)
Rating: 86
After an impressive 2023–24 season with Women’s Super League champions Chelsea, Lauren James was understandably upgraded in EA FC 25.
She’s went from 83 to a well-deserved 86 overall and can play in RW, RM or CAM.
A versatile option with great pace and five-star skill moves, James is guaranteed to be a handy addition to most squads and can now be signed on Career Mode following the introduction of women’s football in the game mode.
6. Selma Bacha (OL Lyonnes)
Rating: 86
With an 86-rated card that boasts 87 pace, 85 passing, 82 dribbling, 79 defending and physical, and 73 shooting, Selma Bacha is versatile enough to play at LB and LW.
The Lyon and France defender offers great links to her compatriots and will be a difficult fullback to conquer—even for the game’s most dazzling wingers.
5. Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
Rating: 87
Bayern Munich may have underwhelmed in 2023-24, but Jamal Musiala certainly didn’t.
The attacking midfielder enjoyed another fruitful campaign despite walking away without any silverware to show for it and was rewarded with an 87 rating in EA FC 25.
Able to play in CAM, CM and LM, the German is another all-rounder who offers great speed, agility and dribbling. He’s a five-star skiller, too.
4. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Rating: 87
Bukayo Saka may be 87-rated but it still feels as if he’s been underappreciated in EA FC 25.
With just 85 pace, 83 shooting and three-star skill moves, those who chose the Arsenal winger’s stats may have Tottenham allegiances.
Still, he’s an excellent addition to any team, especially in Career Mode where he will only get better considering his age.
3. William Saliba (Arsenal)
Rating: 87
Good luck getting past William Saliba in EA FC 25.
The Frenchman is what you would call a controller-smasher in-game, with an upgraded rating taking him from 83 to 87 overall. The defender has 87 defending, 83 physical and, most worryingly, 82 pace, meaning he’s more or less impenetrable.
Partner him with Virgil van Dijk or Antonio Rudiger and you may never concede again.
2. Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Rating: 88
Besting his international teammate Musiala by one overall rating, Florian Wirtz’s exceptional 2023-24 season with Bayer Leverkusen handed him an impressive upgrade.
Now 88 overall, the silky CAM is the Bundesliga’s highest-rated player not called Harry Kane, which is fitting considering he won the competition’s Player of the Season award en route to the Meisterschale.
1. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Best Young Players in EA FC 25.
