The other day I tried to predict the best player for each position for EA's next post, FIFA 20. Other than one entry you might call a wildcard, I'm pretty sure I nailed it and once the game is officially released, I can't wait to take all the kudos and praise that I will undoubtedly please. Or the howls of derision and utter mockery that will be directed at me because I was wrong in every position.
It does make me think though that predicting the best players is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel, all you have to do is have a passing knowledge of the game and who are the batsmen of the world right now and there you are, but can I do it with young players? This is what this guide is to see if I can. A few rules before we start, all players will be judged on their potential and not where they are, I will try to limit it to 21 players, and under if possible, and any young player who was successful in the previous article sucks and void here.
FIFA 20: The best young player for each position
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma
Right out of the blocks we have one of the most noticeable inclusions on this list. The 20-year-old AC Milan goalkeeper may be one of the best goalkeepers ever to put on a pair of gloves, provided he doesn't do a Balotelli and let him go to the head. He had some clashes with Ultra Milan and in all fairness the sooner he is knocked out of this club and the better to play for a great team, the limit for the young Italian.
Right-back / back-back: Aaron Wan-Bissaka
The correct answer here is, of course, Trent Alexander-Arnold. It's still Trent Alexander-Arnold, but after establishing the rule that no young people who appeared in my other guidebook could appear here, I had to look elsewhere. Which brings me to Aaron Wan-Bissaka. If he was still at Palace he wouldn't even be in the discussion, but with a £ 50 move to United Man it's all done and dusted off I very much doubt his POT rating doesn't reflect that.
Center back: Matthijs de Ligt
It says a lot about the state of the modern game that Matthijs de Ligt's agent Mino Raiola convinced him he shouldn't move to Barcelona but instead move to Juventus. The reason was that the Catalans had refused to pay him huge agent fees and the Italians were more than happy to waste the money on blood. Which is a shame, because at the time of this writing he had only played in one of their two matches and failed to cover himself in glory as The Old Lady scored three goals against Napoli. That won't take away the fact that he will be Center's most potential player, and you need to get him away from Juventus as soon as you can.
Left Rear / Rear Wing: Theo Hernández
This one is so far from left field that I have to use a FIFA 18 photo for him, but since I try to keep this for players who take their positions naturally, Theo Hernández is the man for the job. I could have gone with CBs that can play on the left, or RBs that do the same, but this Real Madrid prospect is sure to be on top of any pure left-backs with the high potential roster that you want to mention.
Central defensive midfielder: Sandro Tonali
When you're 19 and already making comparisons to Andrea Pirlo, it can be very difficult to put pressure on a young man's shoulders. With the way Sandro Tonali stands on the pitch, you'd hardly know. Brescia's CDM are already on their way to becoming a world-class player and it won't be long before the big clubs come to seek their services. Otherwise next January, you can expect him to be on the move after the 19/20 season.
Central midfielder: Houssem Aouar
Confession time. Before playing FIFA 19 I had no idea who Houssem Aouar was, but after doing such a screening I managed to grab him from Olympique Lyonnais at a reasonable price, believing he would stay in my stash of Liverpool or on the bench for two seasons. By the end of his first year in the Premier League he had carved out a place for himself in my starting squad and hasn't been absent since. This leads me to believe that he will easily be the youngest FIFA 20 WC with the highest potential.
Central offensive midfield: Phil Foden
Pep Guardiola has said Phil Foden is the most exciting prospect he has ever worked with. Let it sink for a moment. The man who made Messi the greatest player in the world, EVER !, says the 19-year-old can be even better. If that isn't reflected in its POT rating in FIFA 20, then there is something wrong with EA's HQ.
Right Winger / Midfielder: Jadon Sancho
What are you waiting for? The boy is on the cover of the game.
Left winger / Midfielder: Vinícius Júnior
At the age of 19, Vinícius Júnior is already looking to establish himself in the Real Madrid squad. He may not yet be one of the first names on the squad sheet, but it's only a matter of time before Zidane turns to him week after week. Last season, he made 21 appearances during the season and managed to squeeze in at the same time. So don't be shocked when he becomes the star of what he's destined to be over the next few seasons.
Forward: Kylian Mbappé
Finally, in another gesture as simple as the nose to the face, Kylian Mbappé will be the best young striker of the match. The point is, PSG have been incredibly stupid during this transfer window and should have sent Neymar back to Spain as soon as Madrid and Barca came to sniff. The sooner they tie their flag to Kylian Mbappé's pole and let him be the star they build their team on, the better chance they have of winning the Champions League and being taken seriously as a threat to football, in the instead of a toy for a rich man.
