FIFA 23 best young players: Career mode’s top strikers, midfielders, defenders & goalkeepers

GOAL takes a look at the wonderkids with the highest potential on FIFA 23 across all positions on the pitch

Career Mode is one of the most popular aspects of EA Sports' FIFA and that is no different for FIFA 23.

The challenge is to build a squad that is capable of competing now and into the future as the game progresses. In order to do so, you have to delve into the transfer market and ideally, your scouts will be on the lookout for wonderkids.

To help you on your way in FIFA 23 Career Mode, GOAL takes a look at the best young forwards, midfielders, defenders and goalkeepers aged 20 or under on the game. So, the likes of Erling Haaland and Vinicius Jr, while still relatively young, are excluded from this list.

KEY:

PO = Position

CR = Current rating

PR = Potential rating

*Clubs and ages are those the players have at the start of FIFA 23 Career Mode.

Best young strikers & forwards on FIFA 23

#	Player	Age	Club	PO	CR	PR
1	A. Fati	19	Barcelona	LW	79	90
2	A. Nusa	17	Club Brugge	LW	68	88
3	Y. Moukoko	17	Borussia Dortmund	ST	69	88
4	R. Cherki	19	Lyon	LW	73	88
5	J. Gelhardt	20	Leeds United	ST	72	87
6	K. Adeyemi	20	Borussia Dortmund	ST	75	87
7	Savio	18	PSV	RW	70	86
8	Kayky	19	Pacos de Ferreira	RW	66	86
9	L. Romero	17	Lazio	RW	67	86
10	M. Cancellieri	20	Lazio	RW	73	86
11	F. Conceicao	19	Ajax	RW	72	86
12	M. Olise	20	Crystal Palace	RW	76	86
13	N. Madueke	20	PSV	RW	77	86
14	D. Moreira	18	Benfica	LW	67	85
15	A. Garnacho	18	Manchester United	LW	64	85
16	H. Araujo	20	Benfica	ST	71	85
17	M. Lazetic	18	AC Milan	ST	65	85
18	M. Soule	19	Juventus	RW	68	85
19	J. Bakayoko	19	PSV	RW	68	85
20	M. Godts	17	Genk	LW	64	85
21	N. Unuvar	19	Trabzonspor	LW	67	85
22	S. Biuk	19	Hajduk Split	LW	69	85
23	D. Scarlett	18	Portsmouth	ST	65	85
24	E. Zeballos	20	Boca Juniors	RW	72	85
25	A. Elanga	20	Manchester United	RW	74	85
26	B. Sesko	19	RB Salzburg	ST	72	85
27	M. Cho	18	Real Sociedad	ST	70	85
28	O. Popescu	19	FCSB	LW	72	85
29	C. Palmer	20	Manchester City	RW	67	85
30	H. Ekitike	20	Paris Saint-Germain	ST	76	85

Barcelona forward Ansu Fati was given the No. 10 shirt following Lionel Messi's departure from Camp Nou and much is certainly expected of the Spain international, as he is deemed the best young forward in FIFA 23, with a potential rating of 90.

Club Brugge's 17-year-old attacker Antonio Nusa has a potential rating of 88, as do Lyon forward Rayan Cherki and Borussia Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko.

Other, more firmly established forwards on the list include Manchester United's Anthony Elanga, Paris Saint Germain attacker Hugo Ekitike and Red Bull Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko, whose potential has Europe's elite on high alert.

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Best young midfielders on FIFA 23

#	Player	Age	Club	PO	CR	PR
1	Pedri	19	Barcelona	CM	85	93
2	F. Wirtz	19	Bayer Leverkusen	CAM	82	91
3	J. Bellingham	19	Borussia Dortmund	CM	84	91
4	Moleiro	18	Las Palmas	LM	75	90
5	J. Musiala	19	Bayern Munich	CM	81	90
6	R. Gravenberch	20	Ajax	CM	79	89
7	B. Saka	20	Arsenal	RM	82	89
8	E. Camavinga	19	Real Madrid	CM	79	89
9	Gavi	18	Barcelona	CM	79	88
10	N. Rovella	20	Monza	CM	75	88
11	F. Miretti	19	Juventus	CM	72	87
12	J. Bynoe-Gittens	18	Borussia Dortmund	LM	67	87
13	G. Veron	19	Porto	RM	75	87
14	A. Scott	19	Bristol City	CAM	69	87
15	Yeremy	19	Villarreal	RM	79	87
16	H. Elliott	19	Liverpool	CAM	73	87
17	A. Hlozek	20	Bayer Leverkusen	CAM	77	87
18	Marquinhos	19	Arsenal	RM	73	86
19	P. Torre	19	Barcelona	CAM	69	86
20	A. Fatawu Issahaku	18	Sporting	CAM	67	86
21	A. Guler	17	Fenerbahce	CAM	69	86
22	M. Baturina	19	Dinamo Zagreb	CM	70	86
23	N. Zalewski	20	Roma	LM	74	86
24	C. Chukwuemeka	18	Chelsea	CM	64	86
25	F. Carvalho	20	Liverpool	CAM	73	86
26	N. Williams	20	Athletic Club	RM	74	86
27	X. Simons	19	PSV	CAM	73	86
28	G. Busio	20	Venezia	CM	73	86
29	G. Reyna	19	Borussia Dortmund	CAM	77	86
30	M. Fernandes	18	Sporting	CM	66	85

Having won the Kopa Trophy in 2021, it is little surprise to see Barcelona wonderkid Pedri lead the list of best young midfielders on FIFA 23. The playmaker is already fairly strong, but has the potential to be one of the best players in the game, with a potential rating of 93.

Pedri's Barca team-mate Gavi won the Kopa award for 2022 and isn't far behind his compatriot, with a potential rating of 88. Bundesliga duo Florian Wirtz and Jude Bellingham are actually closest to Pedri in terms of potential, with each boasting a possible rating of 91 on the game.

Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala can reach a rating of 90 on FIFA 23, while Real Madrid's Edouardo Camavinga and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka are deemed to be among the most precocious midfield talents too.

Best young defenders on FIFA 23

#	Player	Age	Club	PO	CR	PR
1	J. Gvardiol	20	RB Leipzig	CB	81	89
2	N. Mendes	20	Paris Saint-Germain	LB	80	88
3	A. Silva	18	Benfica	CB	66	86
4	G. Scalvini	18	Atalanta	CB	70	86
5	C. Lukeba	19	Lyon	CB	76	86
6	T. Livramento	19	Southampton	RB	75	85
7	M. Gusto	19	Lyon	RB	75	85
8	A. Hickey	20	Brentford	RB	75	85
9	P. Hincapie	20	Bayer Leverkusen	LB	78	85
10	L. Netz	19	Borussia M'gladbach	LB	73	85
11	T. Kouassi	20	Sevilla	CB	73	85
12	A. Fontanarosa	19	Inter	CB	67	84
13	J. Jose Mina	18	Deportivo Cali	RB	64	84
14	N. Mbamba	17	Club Brugge	CB	64	84
15	L. Colwill	19	Brighton	CB	70	84
16	Q. Merlin	20	Nantes	LB	70	84
17	A. Truffert	20	Rennes	LB	75	84
18	J. Branthwaite	20	PSV	CB	68	84
19	L. Stergiou	20	St Gallen	CB	67	84
20	Simo	17	Espanyol	CB	62	83

RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol is the best young defender on FIFA 23, with the highest potential - coming it with a rating of 89. The Croatia international keeps up Leipzig's tradition as a conveyor belt of defensive talent, following in the footsteps of Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate.

PSG and Portugal left-back Nuno Mendes is close behind Gvardiol with a potential rating of 88, while the likes of Benfica's Antonio Silva and Atalanta's Giorgio Scalvini are deemed future stars with potential of 86 each.

Premier League teams Southampton and Brentford boast hot prospects in Tino Livramento and Aaron Hickey respectively.

Best young goalkeepers on FIFA 23

#	Player	Age	Club	PO	CR	PR
1	G. Bazunu	20	Southampton	GK	70	85
2	M. Vandevoordt	20	Genk	GK	70	84
3	G. Restes	17	Toulouse	GK	60	83
4	L. Chevalier	20	LOSC	GK	67	83
5	S. Soares	20	Benfica	GK	65	82
6	L. Miguel Marquines	19	Atletico Nacional	GK	63	82
7	G. Garofani	19	Juventus	GK	61	81
8	K. Peersman	18	PSV	GK	60	81
9	G. Slonina	18	Chicago Fire	GK	66	81
10	D. Alemdar	19	Rennes	GK	72	80
11	R. Neshcheret	20	Dynamo Kyiv	GK	66	80
12	A. Iturbe	18	Atletico Madrid	GK	65	80

Southampton and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has the highest potential of all under-20 goalkeepers in FIFA 23, having the capacity to reach a rating of 85 on the game. Interestingly, when the game starts, Rennes goalkeeper Dogan Alemdar has a higher current rating than Bazunu, but his potential only reaches 80.

Genk goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt was previously the best young goalkeeper on FIFA 22, but has to settle for second best behind Bazunu on FIFA 23, with a potential rating of 84.

Toulouse teen Guillaume Restes could prove a bargain and his potential is not bad at 83, while Lille shotstopper Lucas Chevalier is up there among Ligue 1's best young goalkeepers too.

Best young strikers & forwards on FIFA 23

Best young midfielders on FIFA 23

Best young defenders on FIFA 23

Best young goalkeepers on FIFA 23

FIFA 23 news & updates