Portugal shocked all of Europe two years ago, somehow winning Euro 2016 in France. The Portuguese played far from the most attractive football at the tournament, but credit where’s it due, the side got the job done with some robust defending in the knockout stages.
Table of Contents
- What is a wonderkid?
- Bernardo Silva (CA 159 – PA 175)
- Goncalo Guedes (CA 153 – PA 171)
- Raphael Guerreiro (CA 151 – PA 170)
- Gelson Martins (CA 151 – PA 170)
- Ruben Neves (CA 142 – PA 168)
- Francisco Geraldes (CA 135 – PA 168)
- Andre Silva (CA 144 – PA 167)
- Renato Sanches (CA 139 – PA 167)
- Bruno Fernandes (CA 149 – PA 166)
- Joao Felix (CA 116 – PA 165)
- More Portuguese wonderkids
Current Ballon d’Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo hails from Portugal, but will we ever see someone of his stature hail from there again? A Selecao das Quinas has also produced the likes of Eusebio, Rui Costa and Luis Figo, so we look at who from their current youngsters can go on to become some of the very best in the world on FM 18.
What is a wonderkid?
These wonderkids are all aged 23 and under. They hold a potential ability (PA) rating of at least 145, meaning they can improve to become some of the best players in the world.
Bernardo Silva (CA 159 – PA 175)
Age: 22
Position: AM (RLC), M (R)
Club: Manchester City
Best attributes: 17 technique, 17 dribbling, 17 first touch
Value: £42 million
Wage: £98,000 a week
Bernardo Silva has had to be patient for regular opportunities at Manchester City, but the right winger is now showing his quality. The 22-year-old scored 10 goals and notched 12 assists for Monaco last season, as they won the Ligue 1 title and reached the Champions League semifinals.
Silva has stats of 17 technique, 17 dribbling and 17 first touch on FM, giving him a current ability rating of 159. This can improve to an impressive potential of 175, which will cost around the £100 million mark, with wages of £98,000 a week.
Goncalo Guedes (CA 153 – PA 171)
Age: 20
Position: AM (R), M (RL), ST
Club: Valencia (on loan from PSG)
Best attributes: 17 professionalism, 17 loyalty, 16 pace
Value: £34 million
Wage: £43,000 a week
After impressing at an early age for Benfica, Goncalo Guedes perhaps made the switch to PSG too early. The 20-year-old is now on loan at Valencia, where he's scored five and assisted nine times this season. A permanent switch to the Spanish side could now be on the cards for the right winger.
Guedes has a 153 CA which can improve to a 171 potential. For his stats of 17 professionalism, 17 loyalty and 16 pace you will need more than £100 million, with wages upwards of £43,000 a week.
Raphael Guerreiro (CA 151 – PA 170)
Age: 23
Position: D (L), WB (L), M (LC), AM (L)
Club: Dortmund
Best attributes: 17 natural fitness, 17 composure, 17 teamwork
Value: £28 million
Wage: £34,000 a week
A consistent performer for Borussia Dortmund, Raphael Guerreiro is one of the best left back in the world. The 23-year-old can also operate as a wide or central midfielder, making him a real asset for the German side, who he won the German Cup with last season.
17 natural fitness, 17 composure and 17 teamwork give Guerreiro a 151 CA rating on the game. This can rise to a potential of 170, costing just under £70 million with wages starting at £34,000 a week.
Gelson Martins (CA 151 – PA 170)
Age: 22
Position: AM (RL)
Club: Sporting
Best attributes: 19 flair, 18 dribbling, 18 technique
Value: £15 million
Wage: £30,000 a week
An in demand winger, Gelson Martins has been on fire for Sporting Lisbon for the past few seasons. The 22-year-old has scored 18 goals and notched 23 assists since the start of last season, causing him to be linked with moves to Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
Martins has stats of 19 flair, 18 dribbling and 18 technique on the game, giving him a 151 current ability score. For his potential of 170 you will need £45 million and wages upwards of £30,000 a week.
Ruben Neves (CA 142 – PA 168)
Age: 20
Position: DM, M (C)
Club: Wolves
Best attributes: 19 professionalism, 16 passing, 16 creativity
Value: £15 million
Wage: £30,000 a week
Part of the Wolves revolution, Ruben Neves amazingly swapped Porto for Wolverhampton last summer. The 20-year-old’s move looks to be vindicated as the Molineux club top the Championship as we enter the run-in.
Defensive or central midfielder Neves has a 142 CA rating which consists of 19 professionalism, 16 passing and 16 creativity. With his potential at 168, you will need around £50 million to sign him with wages of £30,000 a week.
Francisco Geraldes (CA 135 – PA 168)
Age: 22
Position: AM (C), M (C)
Club: Rio Ave (on loan from Sporting)
Best attributes: 20 adaptability, 17 creativity, 16 passing
Value: £4.2 million
Wage: £4,000 a week
After making just four appearances for Sporting last season, Francisco Geraldes has gone out on loan to Rio Ave in search of more minutes. The attacking midfielder has made over 30 appearances so far this term, chipping in with three goals and nine assists.
The Portugal U21 international has attributes of 20 adaptability, 17 creativity and 16 passing which give him a 135 CA. His potential of 168 will cost you £40 million and wages upwards of £4,000 a week.
Andre Silva (CA 144 – PA 167)
Age: 21
Position: ST
Club: AC Milan
Best attributes: 18 professionalism, 16 ambition, 16 work rate
Value: £17 million
Wage: £63,000 a week
After smashing in 21 goals for Porto last season, Andre Silva hasn’t found the same form at AC Milan, but has produced the goods in the Europa League. All of the 21-year-old’s goals have come in the competition this season, netting eight times in 12 games.
The striker will cost close to £100 million on the game, with wages of £63,000 a week. That will get you his stats of 18 professionalism, 16 ambition and 16 work rate, which give him a 144 CA and 167 PA.
Renato Sanches (CA 139 – PA 167)
Age: 19
Position: M (C), DM, AM (C)
Club: Swansea (on loan from Bayern)
Best attributes: 18 work rate, 17 natural fitness, 17 ambition
Value: £3.2 million
Wage: £26,000 a week
It’s been a tough two years for Renato Sanches. The 19-year-old central midfielder took the Portuguese league by storm with Benfica, earning him a big money move to Bayern Munich, but it looks to be another case of too much too soon. After starring at Euro 2016 with Portugal, Sanches was starved of playing time at Bayern, and now on loan at Swansea he is a shadow of the player he once was.
Sanches has stats of 18 work rate, 17 natural fitness and 17 ambition, giving him a 139 CA. His potential of 167 will cost you around £80 million, with his wages starting at £26,000 a week.
Bruno Fernandes (CA 149 – PA 166)
Age: 22
Position: M (C), AM (C)
Club: Sporting
Best attributes: 18 adaptability, 17 flair, 16 long shots
Value: £13 million
Wage: £14,000 a week
After spending the early stages of his career in Italy, Bruno Fernandes has returned to Portugal at the ideal time. The 22-year-old central midfielder is on course for the best return in his career so far, with 13 goals and 15 assists so far in the campaign.
The Portuguese international will set you back around £30 million with wages upwards of £14,000 a week. That will get you his 149 CA, which consist of 18 adaptability, 17 flair and 16 long shots. With a potential of 166, Fernandes is a player you should consider.
Joao Felix (CA 116 – PA 165)
Age: 17
Position: AM (CRL), M (C)
Club: SLB B
Best attributes: 15 first touch, 15 technique, 15 pressure
Value: £360,000
Wage: £2,000 a week
If you are looking for a player right at the start of his career, then you must look at Benfica’s Joao Felix. The 17-year-old has already appeared for Portugal U21s after scoring 13 goals and assisting six more so far for Benfica’s youth sides.
The attacking or wide midfielder has stats of 15 first touch, 15 technique and 15 pressure giving him a useful CA of 116 on FM 18. This can improve to a potential of 165, costing around the £50 million mark with wages of £2,000 a week.
More Portuguese wonderkids
Player | Age | Pos | Club | CA/ PA | Value | Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nelson Semedo | 23 | D (R) WB (R) | Barcelona | 150/ 164 | £14m | £62k |
Joao Cancelo | 23 | D (R) WB (R) M (R) AM (R) | Inter | 146/ 164 | £11m | £63k |
Ricardo Pereira | 23 | D (R) AM (R) WB (R) | FCP | 147/ 160 | £10m | £6k |
Bruma | 22 | M (LR) AM (LR) | RBL | 141/ 160 | £12m | £65k |
Andre Horta | 20 | M (C) AM (LC) | SLB | 134/ 160 | £1m | £5k |
Rui Pedro | 19 | ST | Boavista | 112/ 160 | £300k | £4k |
Ruben Dias | 20 | D (C) | SLB | 134/ 155 | £3m | £4k |
Pedro Rodrigues | 20 | DM | Estoril* | 120/ 155 | £500k | £3k |
Andre Moreira | 21 | GK | Atletico Madrid | 119/ 155 | £500k | £2k |
Rony Lopes | 21 | AM (RLC) M (RL) | Monaco | 135/ 154 | £8m | £21k |
*Denotes player is on loan
Who have you signed on FM? Let us know in the comments section below.
Looking for wonderkids on FM18?
Best Wonderkid Attacking Midfielders
On a tight budget?
Contract Expiry Signings 2018 (First Season)
Contract Expiry Signings 2019 (Second Season)
Contract Expiry Signings 2020 (Third Season)
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