FIFA 21 Wonderkids: Best Young Portuguese Players to Sign in Career Mode

Portugal have had some excellent players throughout their footballing history, but arguably the greatest of them all led them to their first international cup competition victory in 2016. Cristiano Ronaldo may sit atop of the Portuguese pyramid, but players like Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Eusébio, and Pepe aren’t far behind.

Even though Cristiano Ronaldo seems to defy age with his level of play at 35-years-old, there will come a time when the next crop of players will need to take over. For Portugal’s sake, they’ll be hoping that one of the players in this article will become a key part of that future.

Therefore, this article contains all of the best Portuguese wonderkids to sign on Career Mode. We begin with an in-depth look at the top five players before presenting a table with all of the best wonderkids.

On this page: hide

1. Picking the best Portuguese wonderkids
2. João Félix (81 OVR – 93 POT)
3. Francisco Trincão (80 OVR – 91 POT)
4. Luís Maximiano (78 OVR – 85 POT)
5. Joelson Fernandes (69 OVR – 87 POT)
6. Nuno Mendes (72 OVR – 87 POT)
7. All the best Portuguese wonderkids in FIFA 21

Picking the best Portuguese wonderkids

The rating that is more important than any other when discussing wonderkids is potential. Therefore, all of the players below have been selected and sorted by their potential rating. To be classed as a Portuguese wonderkid, the players must have a minimum potential overall rating of 80 and be aged 21-years-old or younger.

João Félix (81 OVR – 93 POT)

Team: Atlético Madrid
Best Position: CF, ST
Age: 20-years-old
Overall/Potential: 81 OVR / 93 POT
Value: £60,500,000
Skill Moves: Five-Star
Best Attributes: 85 Dribbling, 85 Ball control, 85 Agility

After making a big move from Benfica to Atlético Madrid in the summer of 2019, João Felix has steadily been establishing himself among the great forwards for the future. He began his career in the Spanish capital battling several injuries but has gone from strength to strength and has started this season very strongly.

The future is very bright for Felix as he looks to fill the shoes of the great Portuguese forwards that have come before him. Playing alongside veterans like Diego Costa and Luis Suárez should give him added experience to learn from as well.

The first thing to note with Felix is that he has one of the highest potential ratings in FIFA 21 at 93 POT. He is a skilful flair player who doesn’t lack power. The Viseu-native only has 64 strength, but that’s more than compensated for by his 85 agility, 80 balance, 83 shot power, and 81 long shots.

Felix can play either as a centre forward or a striker, with his attacking statistics making him a great option at either position. He has 83 finishing, 84 positioning, 81 vision, and 82 composure, which means that the Portuguese wonderkid is both lethal in front of goal and has an eye for an assist.

Francisco Trincão (80 OVR – 91 POT)

Team: FC Barcelona
Best Position: RW, LW, CAM
Age: 20-years-old
Overall/Potential: 78 OVR / 91 POT
Value: £30,500,000
Skill Moves: Four-Star
Best Attributes: 85 Dribbling, 84 Curve, 84 Composure

Francisco Trincão broke into SC Braga’s first team in the 2019/20 season, playing 27 games in Liga NOS. Over this period, he scored eight goals and created eight assists. What’s impressive about these numbers is that he didn’t start until the 14^th match of the campaign.

The breakthrough season earned Trincão a move to Barcelona in the summer of 2020. In what looks to be a knock-on effect from the move to Spain, the 20-year-old also made his international debut for Portugal in September this year.

A very skilful player on FIFA 21, the Portuguese wonderkid complements his technical ability with assured mental awareness. He boasts 85 dribbling, 84 curve, 83 ball control, and 84 composure.

Trincão is also quick on his feet, with 81 acceleration, 83 agility, 79 reactions, and 78 sprint speed laying the foundations of a future star. Overall, however, it’s his 91 potential rating which sets the Barça prospect apart from other young wingers.

Luís Maximiano (78 OVR – 85 POT)

Team: Sporting CP
Best Position: GK
Age: 21
Overall/Potential: 78 OVR / 85 POT
Value: £22,000,000
Weak Foot: Two-Star
Best Attributes: 79 Goalkeeper Diving, 79 Goalkeeper Reflexes, 76 Reactions

Luís Maximiano worked his way through Sporting CP’s youth academy before making his professional debut last season, going on to play 23 games in Liga NOS. However, as Sporting have since brought in Antonio Adán, Maximiano may struggle for minutes this season.

The shot-stopper is yet to make his professional debut for the Portuguese national team, but he has played for Portugal’s age-restricted teams, from under-16s to under-21s.

Maximiano’s ratings on FIFA 21 are a great starting point for a goalkeeper with an 85 potential rating. His athleticism and instincts in net standout as his key attributes, carrying a 79 goalkeeper diving, 79 goalkeeper reflexes, and 76 goalkeeper positioning.

The other ratings worth noting are Maximiano’s 76 reactions and 76 goalkeeper handling, but it should also be noted that this wonderkid goalkeeper also carries the Cautious With Crosses trait.

Joelson Fernandes (69 OVR – 87 POT)

Team: Sporting CP
Best Position: RW, LW
Age: 17
Overall/Potential: 69 OVR / 87 POT
Value: £3,100,000
Skill Moves: Four-Star
Best Attributes: 91 Acceleration, 90 Sprint Speed, 88 Agility

This Sporting CP youth academy graduate made his debut for the senior side last season aged 17-years-old. However, through four games played, he was unable to score or assist.

Joelson Fernandes predominantly plays on the left wing, but can also play on the right if needed. So far in his young career, with the senior team and the under-23s, he’s primarily impacted the scoresheet when starting on the left flank.

What stands out from Fernandes’ ratings on FIFA 21 is his speed and ability to change direction, featuring incredible ratings of 91 acceleration, 90 sprint speed, 88 agility, 84 balance. The wonderkid born in Guinea-Bissau also has 75 dribbling and 74 ball control to go along with his 71 composure.

Fernandes may only be only 17-years-old, but he already has the base ratings to be of use in Career Mode, and boasts a potential rating that’ll make him a dominant winger in the future.

Nuno Mendes (72 OVR – 87 POT)

Team: Sporting CP
Best Position: LB, LWB, LM
Age: 18
Overall/Potential: 72 OVR / 87 POT
Value: £4,700,000
Weak Foot: Four-Star
Best Attributes: 86 Sprint Speed, 82 Acceleration, 82 Agility

Nuno Mendes is another graduate from Sporting CP’s youth set-up, which has guided the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo through the system.

After muscling into the senior team this summer, the young full-back looks to hold his place in the team’s Liga NOS starting XI. Mendes plays predominantly as a left midfielder now, but he has also featured at left back and centre back.

For a player with a 72 overall rating, what stands out from Mendes’ individual ratings are his 86 sprint speed, 82 acceleration, 82 agility.

His 85 potential means that the teenage wonderkid’s other ratings, such as his 78 shot power, 76 balance, 73 stamina, 71 crossing, and 71 composure, aren’t far from being factors in his gameplay, too.

All the best Portuguese wonderkids in FIFA 21

With the top players dissected, below is a table with all of the best Portuguese wonderkids to sign on Career Mode in FIFA 21.

Name	Team	Age	Overall	Potential	Position
João Félix	Atlético Madrid	20	81	93	CF, ST
Francisco Trincão	FC Barcelona	20	78	91	RW, LW, CAM
Luís Maximiano	Sporting CP	21	78	88	GK
Joelson Fernandes	Sporting CP	17	69	87	RW, LW
Nuno Mendes	Sporting CP	18	72	87	LB, LWB, LM
Florentino	AS Monaco	20	76	86	CDM, CM
Eduardo Quaresma	Sporting CP	18	72	86	CB
Tomás Tavares	Deportivo Alavés	19	73	85	RB
Jota	Real Valladolid CF	21	72	85	LM, RM
Diogo Dalot	Milan	21	76	85	RB, LB
Fábio Silva	Wolverhampton Wanderers	17	69	85	ST
Romário Baró	FC Porto	20	73	85	RM, CAM
Nuno Tavares	SL Benfica	20	72	85	LB
Daniel Bragança	Sporting CP	21	72	85	CAM, CM
Gedson Fernandes	Tottenham Hotspur	21	75	84	CM, RM
Tomás Esteves	Reading	18	66	84	RB, RWB
Gonçalo Ramos	SL Benfica	19	66	84	CF
Rúben Vinagre	Olympiacos CFP	21	74	84	LWB, LB
Félix Correia	Juventus	19	66	84	RW, LW
Vítor Ferreira	Wolverhampton Wanderers	20	66	83	CM
Pedro Neto	Wolverhampton Wanderers	20	72	83	LW, CF, RW
Tiago Dantas	Bayern München II	19	67	83	CM, CAM
Tiago Tomás	Sporting CP	18	66	83	ST
Rafael Leão	Milan	21	74	83	ST
Pedro Mendes	UD Almería	20	71	83	ST
Rodrigo Fernandes	Sporting CP	19	68	83	CDM
Tiago Djaló	LOSC Lille	20	68	83	CB
Fábio Vieira	FC Porto	20	66	83	CAM, RM
David Carmo	SC Braga	20	71	83	CB
Nilton Varela	Os Belenenses	19	70	82	LWB
Diogo Leite	FC Porto	21	71	82	CB
Diogo Costa	FC Porto	20	70	82	GK
Tiago Morais	Boavista FC	16	61	82	ST
Rodrigo Gomes	SC Braga	16	61	81	ST, RW
Tiago Almeida	CD Tondela	18	61	81	RB, RM, ST
Domingos Quina	Watford	20	68	81	CAM, CM, CDM
Tomás Ribeiro	Os Belenenses	21	69	81	CB
Pedro Brazão	FC Lausanne-Sport	17	62	81	RW, CAM
Famana Quizera	Borussia Mönchengladbach	18	62	80	CAM

If you want to develop a player with the potential to join the legendary ranks of Portuguese football, sign one of the best wonderkids shown on this page.

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