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.
Best Young Strikers in EA FC 26 Career Mode
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.
Best Young Wingers in EA FC 26 Career Mode
Again, no surprises here: Lamine Yamal tops the list of young 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. The standout is Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha. With a potential ceiling of 88 but a price tag of just £2.5 million, he’s arguably the single best-value signing in the entire Career Mode.
Best Young Midfielders in EA FC 26 Career Mode
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.
Best Young Defenders in EA FC 26 Career Mode
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 and Chelsea’s Jorrel Hato boast the highest ceilings of any young defenders in EA FC 26, but naturally come with a hefty price tag. Whether they’re worth the investment comes down to your club’s finances and long-term ambitions.
Best Young Goalkeepers in EA FC 26 Career Mode
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.
How to Grow Wonderkids in EA FC 26 Career Mode
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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This article was originally published on www.si.com as EA FC 26 Wonderkids: The Best Young Players With High Potential.
