Best young players in EA FC 25

EA FC 25 is set to drop at the end of September in what is the second iteration of EA Sports' leading football video game in the absence of FIFA branding.

It's an exciting time of the year for gamers with a new release upcoming, and there's plenty of teasing for EA to do beforehand. Fresh features have been analysed with new game modes previewed, although EA's staples are set to remain.

Ultimate Team and Career Mode will once again dominate EA FC discourse, with a significant chunk of the pre-release discussion surrounding player ratings. In a footballing world where Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo reign supreme, a generation of fearless young superstars are beginning to take over,

Some of EA FC 25's highest-rated players are no older than 23, and here are the young guns you'll be wanting to build your Ultimate Teams or fantastical Career Mode outfits around.

Rumoured highest-rated young players in EA FC 25

EA have not revealed any in-game ratings for the new release outside of those appearing in their 'Dynamic Heroes' promotion.

Ratings will likely be dropped in drips and drabs ahead of the game's release on 27 September. There's been speculation of the first bunch of ratings emerging on Friday 13 September or Monday 16 September.

Nevertheless, as is always the case, there have been plenty of leaks ahead of the official ratings release. The table shown below lists the rumoured highest-rated Under-23 players in EA FC 25, with Ballon d'Or contender Jude Bellingham leading the way with a 90-rated card. The England international has received a considerable upgrade from 86.

Florian Wirtz's staggering season with Bundesliga invincibles Bayer Leverkusen certainly hasn't been overlooked by EA, with the German now boasting an 88-rated base card. Wirtz started EA FC 24 with an 85, but the low sock-donning playmaker played an integral role in Leverkusen's historic domestic campaign and is well worthy of his rumoured lofty new rating.

Arsenal tandem William Saliba and Bukayo Saka are both 87, as is Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala, and Real Madrid's Rodrygo. Some might've thought that Pedri would be creeping into the 90s at this early stage of his career, but the Barcelona midfielder, while still majestic, continues to be plagued by injuries. It's believed he'll be an 86.

Cole Palmer and Nico Williams, both a part of EA's 'Future Stars' promotion in last year's game, start the new release with 85-rated cards and are among the ten highest-rated under-23s in EA FC 25.

The generationally gifted Lamine Yamal was not on last year's game, but an utterly remarkable breakthrough season at Barcelona, which culminated in Euro 2024 glory with Spain, means he's already broken the 80 barrier with EA. The Barca winger is perhaps underrated as an 81.

Who are the EA FC 25 Future Stars?

EA sought to celebrate some of the sport's burgeoning young talent with their 'Future Stars' series last year. Two teams of under-23s were released with each player earning significant upgrades from their base cards.

"Each Future Star upgrade represents the potential these Under-23 players have to rise from wonderkid to world-class as their career progresses," EA wrote in their description of the promotion. Lauren James, Jeremy Doku, Arda Guler, and Selma Bacha were part of the promo in EA FC 24.

19 ICONs with more youthful starheads were also released.

EA will be expected to run a similar promotion again in EA FC 25, but the series didn't drop until February 2024 last time around. Thus, we do not yet know which young stars will receive healthily upgraded cards in the new game. We'll likely have to wait until the new year.