The rise of Belgium in the past few years has been quite frightening. The Red Devils now hold some of the best players in the world in every position. The likes of Thibaut Courtois, Toby Alderweireld, Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku will all show their skill at the World Cup this summer, and they are among the favourites to lift the trophy. It may be the golden generation in Belgium, but is there a second wave of talent to come?
What is a wonderkid?
Here we are looking at the best Belgian wonderkids in Football Manager 2018. These players are all aged 23 and under and have a potential ability (PA) rating of at least 140.
For a full list of our Belgian wonderkids, visit the table towards the end of this page.
Youri Tielemans (CA 140 – PA 150-180)
Age: 20
Position: M (C), DM, AM (C)
Club: AS Monaco
Best attributes: 16 technique, 16 penalty taking, 16 loyalty
Value: £10 million
Wage: £34,000 a week
After four impressive seasons with Anderlecht, it was only a matter of time before Youri Tielemans made the step up. The £22 million switch to Monaco looks to be the perfect move for the 20-year-old, with the central midfielder going straight into their starting lineup with 23 appearances so far this season.
The Belgian international has attributes of 16 technique, 16 penalty taking and 16 loyalty on the game, giving him a current ability rating of 140. His potential, which is between 150 and 180 will cost around £90 million, with wages of £34,000 a week.
Charly Musonda (CA 130 – PA 140-170)
Age: 20
Position: AM (CRL), DM, M (C)
Club: Chelsea
Best attributes: 18 ambition, 15 dribbling, 15 technique
Value: £11 million
Wage: £10,000 a week
Part of Chelsea’s impressive youth department, Charly Musonda is showcasing his talents out on loan at Celtic. The 20-year-old enjoyed a strong six months at Real Betis last term, and you wonder how much longer he will have to wait for regular opportunities in the Chelsea first team.
The winger has a 130 current ability rating, rising to a potential between 140 and 170. His best stats include 18 ambition, 16 dribbling and 15 technique, for which you will need over £100 million and wages upwards of £10,000 a week.
Mile Svilar (CA 102 – PA 140-170)
Age: 17
Position: GK
Club: SLB B
Best attributes: 19 temperament, 18 ambition, 16 adaptability
Value: £250,000
Wage: £9,000 a week
Thrust into the Champions League at the age of just 17, Mile Svilar may not quite be ready for the big stage, but he has potential. The goalkeeper has worked his way up to Belgian U19 level, and he could be the man in the future to take the reins from Thibaut Courtois for the full national side.
19 temperament, 18 ambition and 16 adaptability make up Svilar’s 102 CA, rising to a potential between 140 and 170. You will need around £20 million to sign him, with wages of £9,000 a week.
Adrien Bongiovanni (CA 102 – PA 140-170)
Age: 17
Position: AM (CRL)
Club: AS Monaco
Best attributes: 18 ambition, 16 flair, 15 technique
Value: £500,000
Wage: £5,000 a week
The 17-year-old Adrien Bongiovanni made his debut for Monaco this season, after being a regular for Belgium’s youth teams. The attacking midfielder or winger has worked his way up to U19 level, and he could be thrust even further up the pyramid if he breaks through in France next year.
Bongiovanni’s 102 current ability rating can increase to a potential between 140 and 170, with his best stats being 18 ambition, 16 flair and 15 technique. You are looking at a price of around £70 million to snap him up, with £5,000 a week wages.
Zinho Vanheusden (CA 96 – PA 140-170)
Age: 17
Position: D (C)
Club: Inter
Best attributes: 14 heading, 13 tackling, 13 marking
Value: £200,000
Wage: £200 a week
Zinho Vanheusden is close to making the breakthrough at Inter Milan, but a knee injury has prevented him from making his senior debut for the club this season. The 17-year-old centre back is already a Belgian U21 international and made 27 appearances for Inter’s Primavera side last term.
The defender Vanheusden will cost you £7 million, but you will need to put him on proper wages, as he is currently on £200 a week. That will get you his 14 heading, 13 tackling and 13 marking, which give him a 96 CA, rising to a PA between 140 and 170.
Yannick Carrasco (CA 159 – PA 164)
Age: 23
Position: AM (LR), M (L)
Club: Atletico Madrid
Best attributes: 17 pace, 17 dribbling, 17 technique
Value: £52 million
Wage: £64,000 a week
Now a player with serious pedigree, Yannick Carrasco has been an attacking threat for Atletico Madrid for the past few seasons. The 23-year-old winger scored 14 goals and assisted five more last year, but he has a serious task on his hands to make it to the World Cup in the summer. Eden Hazard, Thorgan Hazard and Dries Mertens are all likely to make the trip to Russia, but will Carrasco join them?
Carrasco holds 17 pace, 17 dribbling and 17 technique on FM, providing him with a 159 current ability rating. That can rise to a potential of 164, but with Atletico’s transfer embargo you will have to wait until January to sign him. You will need to bid close to £100 million to sign him, with his current wages at £64,000 a week.
Divock Origi (CA 145 – PA 161)
Age: 22
Position: ST, M (L), AM (L)
Club: Wolfsburg (on loan from Liverpool)
Best attributes: 18 pace, 17 adaptability, 16 first touch
Value: £26 million
Wage: £45,000 a week
A loan move to Wolfsburg from Liverpool has given the chance for Divock Origi to press for a World Cup place, but five goals so far this season doesn’t look to be enough to take him to Russia. The 22-year-old striker or left winger has struggled since leaving Lille in 2015 and is yet to record more than 11 goals in a single campaign.
Origi’s 18 pace, 17 adaptability and 16 first touch take him to a 145 current ability rating, with a potential of 161. That will cost you around £70 million and wages of £45,000 a week, but it will only go through once his loan spell is over.
Julien Ngoy (CA 116 – PA 130-160)
Age: 19
Position: ST, AM (RLC)
Club: Stoke
Best attributes: 18 pace, 18 acceleration, 16 ambition
Value: £5 million
Wage: £5,000 a week
Julien Ngoy has been given a couple of chances at Stoke over the past year or so, but the 19-year-old needs regular playing time if he is to develop. A recent loan move to League One side Walsall should aid that, and his seven goals in 11 games for Stokes U23s last season shows that the forward has potential.
Ngoy has a 116 current ability score consisting of 18 pace, 18 acceleration and 16 ambition. His potential between 130 and 160 will cost a whopping £90 million and wages upwards of £5,000 a week.
Thibaud Verlinden (CA 105 – PA 130-160)
Age: 18
Position: M (R), AM (RC)
Club: Stoke
Best attributes: 20 temperament, 18 ambition, 15 pace
Value: £1 million
Wage: £5,000 a week
Another Stoke youngster, right midfielder Thibaud Verlinden made his debut for the club in the EFL Cup earlier this season. Despite the lack of first team action, the 18-year-old is currently in the Belgian U19 squad, after making 29 appearances across the U18s and U17s.
Around £50 million is needed to secure the talented Verlinden, with his current wages at £5,000 a week. His 105 CA can rise to a potential between 130 and 160, with his best attributes his 20 temperament, 18 ambition and 15 pace.
Franco Antonucci (CA 98 – PA 130-160)
Age: 18
Position: AM (C), M (C)
Club: AS Monaco
Best attributes: 19 professionalism, 18 adaptability, 15 agility
Value: £300,000
Wage: £4,000 a week
Back to Monaco, Franco Antonucci made the switch to the principality from Ajax last summer. The attacking or central midfielder is yet to play for the Monaco first team, but has shown his worth for the Belgian youth sides, playing 12 times for the U17s.
On FM 18 Antonucci has a current ability of 98 which can grow to a potential between 130 and 160. His stats of 19 professionalism, 18 adaptability and 15 agility will cost just £10 million with wages of £4,000 a week.
More Belgian wonderkids
Player | Age | Pos | Club | CA/ PA | Value | Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Keres Masangu | 17 | DM D (RC) WB (R) | Roma | 96/ <160 | £200k | £1k |
Nicolas Raskin | 16 | M (C) DM | Gent | 90/ <160 | £250k | £2k |
Yari Verschaeren | 16 | AM (C) | Anderlecht | 86/ <160 | £50k | £1k |
Anaxis Dinsifwa | 16 | ST AM (RLC) | Standard Liege | 86/ <160 | £100k | £1k |
Xian Emmers | 18 | M (C) DM | Inter | 80/ <160 | £100k | £1k |
Leander Dendoncker | 22 | DM D (C) M (C) | Anderlecht | 132/ 156 | £10m | £14k |
Nany Dimata | 19 | ST | Wolfsburg | 128/ 156 | £4m | £26k |
Adnan Januzaj | 22 | AM (RLC) M (RL) | Real Sociedad | 139/ 155 | £11m | £76k |
Michy Batshuayi | 23 | ST | Chelsea | 139/ 155 | £19m | £70k |
Samuel Bastien | 20 | M (CRL) DM | Chievo | 128/ 155 | £5m | £3k |
Who are you going to sign on FM? Let us know in the comments section below.
Best Wonderkid Attacking Midfielders
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