Highest-rated U21 players in FIFA 22

Videogame publisher Electronic Arts have already unveiled the new edition of their football simulation game we have all come to know and adore over the years. FIFA 22 will be published worldwide on the first day of October and we are literally days away from getting our hands on the brand new edition.

EA unveiled the highest-rated players in FIFA 22 a week ago and they have now unveiled the 15

highest-rated U21 players in FIFA 22

, who clearly have the brightest of the futures ahead of them both in the videogame and in the real world. There are some obvious ones on this list and we are still confused about how these world-class players are still 21 years old or even younger.

Many of these players have already achieved so much and have broken several records over their short careers. We know you too are eager to find out more about these FIFA 22 wonderkids and their overall ratings in the game. So read on as we provide you with everything you need to know about these highly promising and talented prospects.

FIFA 22 ratings – Best U21 squad

Curious about the

FIFA 22 ratings

of these exciting prospects? Here is a shortlist of everyone whose careers and FIFA ratings we are going to delve into today.

GK:

Illan Meslier (77)

Defenders:

Maxence Lacroix (79), Owen Wijndal (79), Sven Botman (79), Reece James (81), Alphonso Davies (82)

Midfielders:

Boubacar Kamara (80), Pedri (81), Phil Foden (84)

Strikers/Wingers:

Bukayo Saka (80), Alexander Isak (82), Ferran Torres (82), Joao Felix (83), Jadon Sancho (87), Erling Braut Haaland (88)

Now let us have a more detailed look at the highest-rated U21 players in FIFA 22.

Illan Meslier

• Overall: 77

• Position: GK

Having a good goalkeeper is just as important as having a good goal scorer or a satisfactory defender. Goalkeepers can produce many moments of brilliance in any game and excite us with their acrobatic saves. While all the attention is currently on Gianluigi Donnarumma as he is without a doubt one of the best goalkeepers in the world at such a young age, there are others like Illan Meslier who are slowly paving their way towards greatness as well.

At the age of 21, Meslier is one of the best

FIFA 22 wonderkids

and has the potential to become one of the greatest goalkeepers in the game with enough time and effort. The 196cm (6’5” ft.) tall shot stopper enjoys his fine reflexes and diving stats, which have earned him an overall rating of 77.

While the starting overall rating is certainly not as good as a 90-rated goalkeeper, Meslier’s young age and impressive rating at his age allows FIFA players to acquire the youngster for a bargain and continue improving his stats until he realizes his full potential.The Frenchman currently plays for

. He joined the English club from

for a little over €6 million and helped Leeds earn a promotion into the Premier League.

Maxence Lacroix

• Overall: 79

• Position: CB

With the likes of Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique nearing the end of their careers and with the likes of Harry Maguire and Virgil van Dijk nearing their thirties, it is time for the younger generation to announce their presence with impressive performances and with incredible ratings in such globally-adored videogame franchises. One such young center-back who has made it to the list of

highest-rated U21 players in FIFA 22

with his 79 overall rating is French defender Maxence Lacroix. The Frenchman currently players for

and is one of the most promising defenders both in the game and in real life.

Perhaps it is too soon to tell if Lacroix is going to become as big of an icon as the likes of Sergio Ramos or Virgil van Dijk, but FIFA players can at least enjoy what he has to offer in the new version of the game without worrying about the Frenchman’s future in real life. Lacroix boast a surprisingly massive pace of 88, which includes a 93 sprint speed and an 81 acceleration rating.

His pace simply does not suit a traditional center-back. Of course this surprise is indeed a welcome one as it can help FIFA players quickly backtrack to defend against their opponents’ counter-attacks. The 190cm (6’3” ft.) tall center-back also enjoys impressive defensive and physical stats, which combined with his high defensive work rate, can produce a tough and reliable defender at the back.

Owen Wijndal

• Overall: 79

• Position: LB

As one of the

highest-rated U21 players in FIFA 22

, Owen Wijndal is actually the highest-rated U21 left-back in the game as he enjoys an impressive overall rating of 79. The 21-year-old Dutchman rose through the ranks at

’s youth academy and joined the club’s senior squad in 2017. Since then, he has already made more than 100 appearances for the Eredivisie side, scoring 3 goals and providing 15 assists in the process as well.

He has also been made the squad captain at such a young age, which shows how promising Wijndal actually is. While it was quite surprising to see a center-back such as Lacroix have such an amazing pace, we quite expected to see an incredible pace rating for Wijndal and we have gotten what we asked for and what the left-back deserved. The Netherlands international boast a massive 84 pace and quite an impressive 74 physical rating.

Sven Botman

• Overall: 79

• Position: CB

are quite lucky to have one of the highest-rated U21 players in FIFA 22 in their roster. Sven Botman is without a doubt one of the most talented and highly promising center-backs in Europe right now, which is clearly reflected on his real-world market value as it currently is currently estimated to be around €30 million. It is quite surprising to see that Ajax decided to let go of such a fine defender at such a young age and before honing his skills and making him a great defender just like Matthijs de Ligt.

The Dutchman is pretty much what you would expect to see from a traditional center-back. The 21-year-old is as tall as defenders come with a 193cm height and boasts incredible physical stats with a massive 88 strength and 82 stamina. The center-back has even scored his first goal in six league appearances for Lille this season, which proves that he can be quite lethal up front as well.

Boubacar Kamara

• Overall: 80

• Position: CDM

Looking at the revealed FIFA 22 ratings, we can clearly see that Boubacar Kamara is the best central defensive midfielder in the U-21 group. If you want to build a defensively strong team with youth players, then you are absolutely going to need Kamara in your squad as the Frenchman promises a lot considering his age and performance so far. The 21-year-old’s 83 rated aggression can help you chase after the ball with more aggression and intensity, leaving your opponents to make mistakes left and right.

Kamara enjoys an overall rating of 80, which consists of a balanced rating allotment that has seen almost all of his stats get a 70+ rating in the new edition of FIFA. The U21 France international is in fact a product of Marseille’s own youth academy, which makes him have a more special place in the Ligue 1 club. We will have to wait and see if he makes a big-money move to a bigger club in the future or if he decides to stay at Marseille for the long run.

Bukayo Saka

• Overall: 80

• Position: RM

Few players managed to attract as much attention and get as many accolades as Bukayo Saka in Euro 2020, which is exactly why the winger is amongst the highest-rated U21 players in FIFA 22. Saka’s performance in the Euros was one of the main reasons behind England’s success as the Englishman helped his nation reach the final of the tournament.

Even though he failed to help his nation at the very final moments of the tournament by missing his crucial penalty in the shootouts, there is no doubt that Saka is a quality player and has a bright future ahead of himself.

The

winger plays as a right-midfielder or a winger and aptly boasts an impressive 84 pace. He also enjoys an 82 overall dribbling rating, which consists of an 83 agility and an 84 dribbling rating. The England international also has a high offensive work rate and a medium defensive work rate, which means that players will be able to have Saka backtrack and help the defenders when the need arises.

Reece James

• Overall: 81

• Position: RWB

The Premier League is flooded with world-class full-backs and wingbacks, most of whom are young and exciting prospects. One such promising player Reece James, who currently plays for

and is one of the highest-rated U21 players in FIFA 22. James boast incredible physical and pace stats for his age, but he might have to work a bit more on his passing and even shooting stats as the need to use these abilities will certainly arise both in real life and in FIFA.

Of course now that Chelsea have acquired Romelu Lukaku, James’ ratings are definitely going to change as he is now going to find one of the best strikers in the world with his crosses. Perhaps the main attractive point about the Englishman’s FIFA 22 car is his impressive work rate, which will certainly allow the player to control the wing-back across the length of the pitch for the whole duration of the match.

Pedri

• Overall: 81

• Position: CM

Given what we saw from Pedri in the Euros and at

last season, EA should have given the Spaniard an incredible stamina rating of at least over 95. But the publishers believed that a rating of 86 is enough for Pedri’s stamina, with which many have disagreed over the past few days. The 18-year-old wonderkid should be wary of the dangers that being an early-blossoming young prospect entails as fans and the media start comparing him to Barcelona’s legends such as Xavi and Iniesta.

The Spain international’s stats are amazing for such a young age. He boasts an 84 overall dribbling rating and is a 4-star skiller with a 4-star rated weak foot. Both his work rates are set to high as the Barcelona man is the youngster you need to get before his market value soars in FIFA.

Pedri is one of the youngest on the list of highest-rated U21 players in FIFA 22 we can all see a great future for him both in real life and in the FIFA series. Of course nothing is written in stone and we will have to wait and see if Pedri manages to deliver on his promising potential in the near future.

Alexander Isak

• Overall: 82

• Position: ST

If you want Erling Braut Haaland in your squad but don’t have the means to purchase the Norwegian goal machine, then we suggest you turn to Alexander Isak instead as he is almost just as talented as Haaland in every aspect. The

man is one of the best strikers in the game if you consider that he is only 21 years old.

Isak’s incredible pace and shooting stats are enough to put him on the list of highest-rated U21 players in FIFA 22. While many consider Haaland to be the heir to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, perhaps Alexander Isak is a better and more suitable heir as he too is from Sweden, the home country of one of the greatest strikers in history.

The striker joined Real Sociedad from Borussia Dortmund for only €15 million in 2019 and since then has managed to turn himself into one of the most exciting prospects. He has gotten himself a 3-point upgrade since FIFA 21 and boast an incredible 5-star-rated weak foot ability and is a 4-star skiller as well.

Ferran Torres

• Overall: 82

• Position: RW

have switched their transfer policy and are currently focusing on young talents as well as bringing in the best in the world. One of these young prospects at Pep Guardiola’s disposal is Ferran Torres, who is one of the most talented right-wingers in the game. The Spaniard’s acceleration is something to praise, but his sprint speed does slow him down in the long run. As a 4-star skiller, Torres is able to use his silky-smooth moves to get past the opposition defense with ease.

Perhaps his overall rating of 82 could have been even more if Guardiola had given him more chances to prove himself on the pitch. The 21-year-old winger is already worth a massive €50 million in the real world market. The immensely versatile forward made a total of 24 appearances in the Premier League last season, but did not get the chance to play the full 90 minutes in every match. Of course his quality is clear for everyone including his manager as Torres has already earned a spot in Guardiola’s starting XI.

Alphonso Davies

• Overall: 82

• Position: LB

FIFA fans are absolutely fuming over the fact that Alphonso Davies has gotten such a low overall rating and his pace is actually lower than Kylian Mbappe’s. However, we are not here to debate over EA’s rating system and logic and are only going over the details about the players’ new FIFA cards. The Canadian rose to prominence with his performance at

as he helped his club win the historic sextuple.

Since then, Davies has become one of the best left-backs in the world at such a young age. He boasts an unbelievable pace of 96 and is aptly nicknamed “The Roadrunner”. Of course Davies is only brilliant in the pace department as his other stats don’t seem as impressive yet. With a 4-star-rated weak foot and as a 4-star skiller, the 20-year-old is on his way towards becoming one of the greatest left-backs in the world. 

Joao Felix

• Overall: 83

• Position: CF

Joao Felix became the second-most expensive teenager in the world when

signed him from Benfica for a whopping €127 million back in 2019 when he was merely 19 years old. Since then, however, while Kylian Mbappe has managed to earn numerous accolades and a massive 91 overall rating in FIFA 22, Joao Felix has not proven his worth.

Of course that is not to say that the Portuguese striker is not talented and is not able to improve upon his game. After all, he IS one of the best U21 players in FIFA 22 and many of us will be after his card in the FIFA Ultimate Team.

The center-forward enjoys an incredible 5-star rated skill moves set and is able to wreak havoc with his left foot as well. With an 86 overall dribbling rating and an 82 pace, Felix is on the right path to becoming an agile striker with nimble footwork. Both of Felix’s work rates are rated at medium and he might have to work on his physical stats as well, since a 180cm tall center-forward cannot afford to have a low strength rating on FIFA or in real life.

Phil Foden

• Overall: 84

• Position: CAM

When Pep Guardiola claims that a player is even more talented than Lionel Messi, you for sure that the player is no joke at all. Only one footballer has had the honor of being called a more talented player than Messi and that footballer is none other than Phil Foden. The Englishman has come a long way since his humble beginnings at Manchester City. His starting overall rating in FIFA 18 was a mere 65. But even then, the midfielder had an amazing potential to grow and become one of the best in the world.

Now, at the age of 21, Foden is considered to be one of the best in world despite his age and lack of experience. Of course his 84 overall rating clearly shows that he is in fact a lot more experience than hundreds of other 21-year-olds in Europe and across the globe. With an unbelievable 90-rated agility and an 84 pace, having Foden at your disposal will make life so much easier for you and your squad.

With a high attacking work rate and as a 4-star skiller, Foden will also come in handy whenever you want to get past your opponents with nimble footwork and impressive showboating. 

Jadon Sancho

• Overall: 87

• Position: RM

Jadon Sancho finally got his wish and joined

United from Borussia Dortmund for an eye-watering €85 million. One might expect to see a huge upgrade whenever a player makes a big-money move. But that was not the case for Sancho as his overall rating has apparently stayed the same as last season.

It seems that fans are raging about Sancho’s pace downgrade as many FIFA players believe that the winger should have gotten an upgrade instead. However, even with the downgrade in his pace, Sancho is undoubtedly a quality player with an astonishing 5-star-rated skill moves set and a 91 dribbling overall.

Erling Haaland

• Overall: 88

• Position: ST

And finally we have arrived to introduce the most talented and highest-rated U-21 player in FIFA 22. Erling Haaland’s incredible 88 overall rating at his age is something that few players in the history of the FIFA franchise have achieved, which shows exactly what a quality player Haaland actually is. The Norwegian is an absolute goal machine both in real life and in FIFA as he is able to put the ball into the back of the net in any way possible thanks to his phenomenal physical stats, acrobatic moves and incredible pace.

Haaland’s shooting stats are out of this world for a 21-year-old and his high offensive and defensive work rates allow him to use his stamina and strength to outmaneuver and outplay his opponents with ease. From personal experience that we have had with Haaland in the previous FIFA editions, we urge you to get your hands on a Haaland card as soon as possible.

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