Long read: The beauty and drama of video games and their clouds

"It's a little bit hard to work out without knowing the altitude of that dragon..."

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

FIFA 19 potential wonderkids - best youngsters and hidden gems

The best, highest-potential players under 21 in FIFA 19.

Uncovering potential wonderkids in FIFA 19 is one of the most satisfying things in the game.

Watching them grow from nervous teenager to a superstar of the future is a treat - and probably part of the reasoning behind the Journey seeming like such a great fit, so on this page you'll find a list of the best FIFA 19 youngsters and hidden gems or, in other words, the highest potential young players in the game.

Whether you're looking to take the "Spurs approach" - by buying what feels like several hundred under-21 players each year, and selling on most of them the next - or simply find that one perfect replacement for your ageing superstar, the list below, sourced directly from EA Sports' own rankings contains several dozen wonderkids with the highest potential ratings in the game.

If you're looking for the highest rated Overall players of all ages though, we've got you covered in our guide on FIFA 19's best players and top 100 player ratings, and a list of FIFA 19 5* skillers and how to perform skill moves, too.

We'll also give our own advice on our personal picks for standout players from the list further below, so read on!

FC Nantes' Abdoulaye Dabo has huge potential to grow. Image credit: FC Nantes.

The best, highest potential wonderkids and players in FIFA 19

NameClubPositionAgeCurrentPotential
Kylian MbappePSGRW198795
Gianluigi DonnarummaMilanGK198293
Vinicius JuniorReal MadridLW187792
Gabriel JesusMan CityST218392
Matthijs de LigtAjaxCB198091
Ousmane DembeleBarcelonaRW218291
MalcomBarcelonaRW218391
Patrick CutroneMilanST207789
Ezequiel BarcoAtlanta UnitedLM197489
Alban LafontFiorentinaGK197789
Marcus RashfordMan UnitedLW208189
Leon BaileyBayer LeverkusenLM218289
Youri TielemansAS MonacoCM217989
Andriy LuninReal MadridGK197688
Riqui PuigBarcelonaCM196888
Sandro TonaliBresciaCDM186688
Jann-Fiete ArpHamburger SVST186988
Phil FodenMan CityCAM187388
Ryan SessegnonFulhamLW187588
Kai HavertzBayer LeverkusenCAM197988
Houssem AouarLyonCM207888
Trent Alexander-ArnoldLiverpoolRB197888
Ante CoricRomaCAM217688
Dayot UpamecanoRB LeipzigCB197688
Christian PulisicBorussia DortmundRM207988
Rodrigo BentacurJuventusCM217688
Alex MeretNapoli GK217588
Nicolo BarellaCagliariCM217688
Joao Felix SequeiraBenficaLW186987
Sergio GomezBorussia DortmundCAM186887
Abdoulaye DaboNantesCM176287
Callum Hudson-OdoiChelseaLW176887
Angel GomesMan UnitedCAM186687
Pietro PellegriMonacoST176787
Alessandro BastoniParmaCB196787
Boubacar KamaraMarseilleCB187187
David NeresAjaxRW217987
Moise KeanJuventusST187287
Cengiz UnderromaRW217787
Tanguy NdombeleLyonCM217887
Ismaila SarrStade RennaisLM207687
Diogo LeitePortoCB197487
Alphonso DaviesVancouver WhitecapsLM177287
Carlos SolerValenciaRM218087
Felipe VizeuUdineseST217587
Jadon SanchoBorussia DortmundLM187287
Yann KaramohInterRM207387
Franck Yannick KessieMilanCM217887
Amadou DiawaraNapoli CM217787
OyarzabalReal SociedadLW218087
Davide CalabriaMilanRB217787
Joe GomezLiverpoolRB217687
Goncalo GuedesPSGLW218287
Ruben NevesWolvesCM217987
Sofiane DiopAS MonacoCAM186586
Viktor TsygankovDynamo KyivRM207986
Jovane Eduardo Borges CabralSporting CPRM207386
Kangin LeeValenciaCAM177086
Rafael LeaoLilleST197286
Timothy WeahPSGST186986
KoundeBordeauxCB197386
Ferran TorresValenciaRM187386
Willem GeubbelsAS MonacoST176486
Amine GouiriLyonST186786
Eder MilitaoPortoRB207586
PaulinhoBayer LeverkusenRM187186
WendelSporting CPCM217586
Justin KluivertRomaLW197586
Marc RocaEspanyolCDM217586
Christian KoumaneGenoaST207186
Federico ChiesaFiorentinaRW207786
Ethan AmpaduChelseaCB186386
Christian FruchtlBayern MunichGK186586
Gedson FernandesBenficaCM197486
Henry OnyekeuruGalatasarayLM217686
RaphinhaSporting CPRM217986
Issa DiopWest Ham UnitedCB217686
Lautaro MartinezInterST217986
Brahim DiazMan CityLW196986
Denis ZakariaBorussia MonchengladbachCM217786
Frenkie de JongAjaxCM217786
Sander BergeRC GenjCDM207586
Kieran TierneyCelticLB217686
Nordi MukieleRB LeipzigCB207786
VallejoReal MadridCB217886
Diogo JotaWolvesLW217886
Breel EmboloSchalke 04ST217686
Pablo MaffeoStuttgartRWB217886

FIFA 20 ratings and the top 100 players are here! Plus there's details on the FIFA 20 full release date, the FIFA 20 Ones to Watch OTW players list so far, and a full FIFA 20 Icons list, too. Otherwise, head back to our main FIFA 19 tips, controls and guide hub for much more on FIFA 19 in one place, including a full FIFA 19 The Journey: Champions walkthrough of objectives, decisions and rewards, lists of all Five Star Skillers, all FIFA 19 FUT Icons in the game, a list of the best FIFA 19 players in the top 100 FIFA player ratings list, plus the best goalkeepers, best defenders, best midfielders, best wingers, and best strikers, and dedicated, in-depth explainers on FIFA 19 Chemistry and Chemistry Styles, too. There's also a list of FIFA 19 potential wonderkids and best young players, how to take set pieces like free kicks and penalties, and finally a list of all FIFA 19 OTW cards, too.


Cover image for YouTube videoFIFA 19 Gameplay - Kick-Off Mode - House Rules, Stat Tracking, Survival Mode
FIFA 19 Gameplay - Kick-Off Mode - House Rules, Stat Tracking, Survival Mode

Other things you should know about wonderkids and high potential players in FIFA 19

Based on the above, there are a couple of points worth bearing in mind when hunting down your next world class talent:

  • Of all the players of a potential rating higher than 85 Overall, FC Nantes' Abdoulaye Dabo is the one with the potential to improve the most. The seventeen-year-old starlet starts at just 62 Overall in FIFA 19, meaning he can improve by up to twenty-five points in total. In terms of your Career Mode playthrough, it means he's one of the very best long-term options, and could also be available for a pretty meagre fee if you're lucky.
  • Plenty of last year's starlets, like Tottenham's Marcus Edwards, the previous player with the potential to improve by the largest margin, drop off the list entirely this year.
  • Remember that age is an important factor here. Whilst younger, lower-Overall players like Dabo might come at a better price, if you can afford more developed players then often it's a safer bet - you might not be fitting in four, five or six seasons into one Career Mode playthrough, after all, and so may never see a seventeen-year-old's full potential.
  • For those longer plathroughs, we recommend players with a starting Overall in the 60s, to keep the cost down. The likes of Dabo, Chelsea's Ethan Ampadou, Monaco's Guebbels, Bayern's Fruchtl, and Brescia's Sandro Tonali are great options for huge long-term growth.
  • For more instant hits - aside from the older players you'll find in our FIFA 19 player ratings guide - look to the likes of Mbappe (who will probably be extortionate), Gianluigi Donnarumma, Man City's Gabriel Jesus or Ajax's Matthijs de Ligt, who have current Overall ratings of 87, 82, 83 and 80 respectively and can provide an immediate impact at just about any club.
  • Don't necessarily go straight for the highest-rated potential players. Although it's great if you have the cash, often you're better off doing a little searching around for players at smaller, more cash-strapped clubs outside of the top tier leagues to pick up a bargain. Do you really need to prize Kylian Mbappé from Paris Saint Germain in the same year he officially joined, when you could pick up Patrick Cutrone or Christian Pulisic instead?
  • Be flexible with your positions. It's more of a general tip for FIFA 19 anyway (and long-term players will remember the days of pace-abusers packing the team with speedsters regardless of position) but don't forget that often, players have expertise in more than one spot on the team sheet. Marcus Rashford can play on the left as well as up front, for example, so expect him to be able to do a job for you there in FIFA 19, too.
Cover image for YouTube videoFIFA 19 Ultimate Team Team Of The Year Nominations - FIFA TOTY
FIFA 19 Ultimate Team Team Of The Year Nominations - FIFA TOTY