FIFA 22 Wonderkids: Best Young Uruguayan Players to Sign in Career Mode

Uruguay’s footballing pedigree can never be questioned, given the fact that they won the first World Cup as hosts in 1930 and have the joint-most Copa América titles in its history, alongside Argentina with 15.

A quarter-final exit to eventual winners France at the 2018 World Cup has caused a slight slump in international form for La Celeste, who currently sit at 17^th in the international rankings – their lowest for almost half a decade.

Now, they look to a new crop of top young players, as do we, with these being the best Uruguayan wonderkids in FIFA 22.

Choosing the best Uruguayan wonderkids in FIFA 22

The precocious footballing stars featured in this list, including Manuel Ugarte, Facundo Pellistri, and Agustín Álvarez Martínez, are aiming to achieve national and global icon status like current greats, Luis Suárez, Diego Godín, and Edinson Cavani.

The wonderkids selected here possess the highest potential ratings of all Uruguayan footballers under the age of 21 in FIFA 22.

Find the full list of all of the best Uruguayan wonderkids in FIFA 22 at the base of the page.

1. Facundo Pellistri (70 OVR – 86 POT)

Team: Deportivo Alavés
Age: 19
Wage: £23,000 p/w
Value: £3.5 million
Best Attributes: 84 Agility, 84 Balance, 79 Sprint Speed

Manchester United’s Facundo Pellistri is Uruguay’s greatest prospect based upon his FIFA 22 potential rating of 86, and he will hope to realise that potential whilst he spends the season on-loan at Alavés.

A skilful winger, Pellistri leans on his 84 agility and balance, 79 sprint speed, and 74 dribbling when on the ball, hoping to outmanoeuvre and outfox his opposition on the right wing.

As a product of Peñarol’s academy, the Uruguayan giants sanctioned a move to Old Trafford in the autumn of 2020, once the English side paid £7.5 million for the then 18-year-old’s services. He re-joined Alavés this summer on-loan, and whilst he’s yet to make a huge impact on the field, the experience will help Pellistri develop into a what many foresse him as becoming: a top-class winger.

2. Manuel Ugarte (72 OVR – 84 POT)

Team: Sporting CP
Age: 20
Wage: £6,000 p/w
Value: £4.7 million
Best Attributes: 75 Stamina, 75 Standing Tackle, 74 Short Passing

Starting FIFA 22 at 72 overall, you can expect Sporting’s talented central midfielder to become a fixture in Uruguay’s midfield for years to come once his 84 potential is achieved.

Whilst not the quickest, Ugarte is still a manager’s dream, possessing high-high work rates, 75 stamina and standing tackle, 74 ball control and short passing, and even 73 dribbling and interceptions. Ugarte can really do it all at only 20-years-old.

After regularly appearing for Famalicão’s first-team last season, Sporting took a chance on the industrious midfielder and spent almost £6 million to bring him to Lisbon. With a release clause of £10.4 million, Ugarte represents fantastic value if you need a young, well-rounded, box-to-box midfielder in your ranks.

3. Agustín Álvarez Martínez (71 OVR – 83 POT)

Team: Peñarol
Age: 20
Wage: £602 p/w
Value: £3.9 million
Best Attributes: 78 Jumping, 74 Strength, 74 Heading Accuracy

A name that most non-Uruguayan football fans are probably unfamiliar with, the 71 overall Agustin Álvarez Martinez is primed to be the next prolific striker to follow in the footsteps of Cavani, Suárez, and Forlán if he can reach his 83 potential.

Martinez is very capable in every aspect of forward play. His 78 jumping and 74 strength and heading accuracy make him a real aerial threat, whilst 74 acceleration, 73 attacking positioning, and 71 positioning suggest that he can make dangerous runs and finish chances when presented with the opportunity.

Four Uruguay caps and a goal to boot so early in his career is only a reflection of his domestic form for Peñarol, where he has scored on 33 occasions. Martinez is a player to watch out for, especially if he makes the transition to European football, which you can make happen in FIFA 22 if you meet his £9.1 million release clause.

4. Sebastián Cáceres (74 OVR – 83 POT)

Team: Club América
Age: 21
Wage: £2.2k p/w
Value: £7.7 million
Best Attributes: 84 Jumping, 80 Strength, 78 Acceleration

At 21-years-old, Sebastián Cáceres is the prototypical modern centre-half who, if he reaches his billed 83 potential, should cement his place as Uruguay’s anchor at the heart of their defence.

Cáceres is a physically gifted defender with 84 jumping, 80 strength, and 78 acceleration, complementing his defensive attributes. These attributes include 75 aggression, interceptions, and defensive awareness, which mean that Cáceres can read the game at a high level and lean on his physicality to disrupt opposition attacks.

Club América spent just over £2 million on Cáceres a couple of seasons ago, after he impressed scouts whilst playing for the Uruguayan side Liverpool FC. He’s yet to break into the national side, but his first cap won’t be too far away if he continues to perform for a club as big as Club América consistently.

5. Santiago Rodríguez (71 OVR – 82 POT)

Team: New York City FC
Age: 21
Wage: £3k p/w
Value: £3.6 million
Best Attributes: 87 Agility, 81 Acceleration, 74 Dribbling

New York City’s Uruguayan prospect Santiago Rodríguez is not too far off of achieving his 82 potential, and once the current 71 overall does in your FIFA 22 Career Mode save, he may have already earned a big move away from the MLS.

Rodríguez’s primary strength is his dribbling. With 87 agility, 81 acceleration, and 74 dribbling, Rodríguez is tough to defend against whether he is playing in attacking midfield or as a winger on either flank.

After making 21 league appearances and scoring three times, Rodríguez is making a name for himself in Uruguay’s youth squads, most recently and notably with the U23s. He’s still learning his craft, but the attacker seems to have a big future in the game, and maybe with your side in Career Mode if you fancy splashing £6.1 million on him.

6. Brian Rodríguez (69 OVR – 82 POT)

Team: Los Angeles FC
Age: 21
Wage: £3,000 p/w
Value: £2.9 million
Best Attributes: 82 Agility, 80 Acceleration, 79 Balance

Brian Rodríguez is a winger who has been highly touted ever since his big-money move to LAFC, and his 69 overall and 82 potential in FIFA 22 suggests that we may not have seen the best of the 21-year-old yet.

An old school winger in many respects, Rodríguez uses his 80 acceleration and 77 sprint speed to get beyond his man before whipping balls into the area with 67 crossing and short passing. His 73 dribbling also denotes that Rodríguez is more than happy to isolate a defender and take him on with the ball at his feet.

In only 15 league appearances in the MLS in 2021, Rodríguez scored four goals and assisted three more from the right flank, which is a decent return for the Uruguay international. LAFC expect big things from Rodríguez, though, as they splashed out on the youngster in a £9 million move in the summer of 2019. In FIFA 22, he will only set you back £6.2 million.

7. Facundo Torres (72 OVR – 82 POT)

Team: Peñarol
Age: 21
Wage: £645 p/w
Value: £4.7 million
Best Attributes: 83 Sprint Speed, 82 Acceleration, 80 Agility

With an overall of 72 and potential of 82, Facundo Torres has all of the talent to develop into a standout winger in your Career Mode if you trigger his £11.1 million release clause.

Torres is a real speedster who loves to leave full-backs in his wake by calling upon his 83 sprint speed, 82 acceleration, and 77 dribbling. He’s a versatile winger too, who can cut in on his favoured left foot from the right, hug the touchline on the left flank, or operate down the middle as an attacking midfielder.

Capped ten times by Uruguay already, Torres is showing signs of becoming a special attacking player if he can continue to be productive for Peñarol – or for whichever club is lucky enough to sign him. He’s delighted fans so far in his hometown of Montevideo and could easily do the same in your Career Mode if you take a chance on one of Uruguay’s best young players.

All of the best Uruguayan wonderkids on FIFA 22 Career Mode

In the table below, you’ll find all of the best under-21 Uruguayan footballers in FIFA 22, sorted by their potential rating.

If you want the best young Uruguayan stars to bolster your FIFA 22 Career Mode save, look to the table provided above.