FIFA 23 Eleven player nuggets from the start of the season
From the end of July until this big winter break, players from all over the world had time to shine, especially on the grass in Europe. Many exploded, some confirmed while others suddenly disappeared from the radar. In this new Eleven FIFA 23 just fiction, to play for fun and especially to talk football between us, discover the group of boys who have been separated from us since the summer, and not the most famous.
01
Diogo Costa in goal
The Portuguese porter, born in Switzerland, is the joy of Porto and the Seleção. His start to the season has been very convincing, to the point of interest from major European teams, particularly the English. But it will not be easy to make him leave Porto where he has always played. His calmness, his ability to make important saves, ended the debate of the titular goalkeeper in the choice, between him, Rui Patricio or Anthony Lopes.
Many goalkeepers, not necessarily known to the general public, also deserve a place in our Eleven, so we will call them: the Moroccan Yassine Bounou, Brice Samba, brilliant in Lens, Giorgi Mamardashvili who is one of the rare pleasures of Valence , Gavin Bazunu from Southampton, Ivan Provedel from Lazio or even two Spanish ghosts we buried (too quickly): De Gea and Kepa who put Edouard Mendy on the bench at Chelsea (!).
02
A 100% defense in Leipzig
Let’s play with three defenders in our Eleven, all three from the German championship, certainly far from being, as is often caricatured, the one whose defenses are hyper permeable. Let’s start with Dayot Upamecano, the Frenchman on whom Deschamps counts, taking full advantage of Süle’s departure from Dortmund and Lucas Hernandez’s injury to establish himself as a starter at Bayern. It was far from won after the Bavarian’s delicate first season. Let’s forget all that, he became the boss of the Munich defense at the behest of his former coach at Red Bull Leipzig, Julian Nagelsmann. Awesome Upamecano. Our second choice is also French and it’s a great revelation: the Marseillais mohamed simakan who are playing in Leipzig this year. The former Strasbourg player took a long time to settle there as a key piece but this time it was solid, to the point where his name appeared on Deschamps’ list of possibilities. Focus on the future of the French team. The latter is a wonder, THE defender who has impressed the most since the beginning of the season: the Croatian from Leipzig Josko Guardiol, only 20 years old, particularly complete, breathes calmness, talent and the ability to establish in the defense of his club and in his selection a sense of stability that has been bluffed. He, he will panic in the transfer market, don’t forget his name.
Reece James should have been in, but he was injured. Cucurella has adapted to Chelsea. Timber is the new defensive pearl of Ajax, Molina the Argentinian is doing well for Atlético, Romero at Tottenham and the South Korean from Napoli Min-Jae Kim is very important to the leader of Serie A. Let’s stay in Italy with Favorite: Kalulu, owner of AC Milan, in constant development and undisputed holder. He was at the gate of the France team
Aurelien Tchouameni
© EA
03
In the middle, Tchouaméni and South Americans
The surprise departure of Casemiro, Real’s undisputed number 6, is the rookie’s dream opportunity Aurelien Tchouameni to show what he’s worth and try to get a place in a Spanish team that could look for a replacement for the Brazilian (whose acclimatization at Manchester United was not that easy). The Frenchman from Monaco keeps everyone calm. He replaces Kanté with the Blues, he is not challenged in Madrid and he will continue the Champions League adventure with his team. Our second choice is also a Real player, a little magician who really impresses, the Uruguayan Frederico Valverde. Versatile, unreliable, this is one of the most promising circles on the planet, one of the best, with a chance to develop, bursting into the shadow of the very media Kroos and Modric. Our third elected is one of the reasons for Benfica’s amazing start to the season: the Argentinian Enzo Fernandez, the central midfielder who is far from being the touchstone in the offensive sector. Expectations are high too, seeing his name mentioned at the biggest clubs in the world. Let’s finish with a Brazilian, great architect of the Arsenal tidal wave in the Premier League: Gabriel Martinelli, a very technical attacking midfielder, often decisive (he scores goals) and makes the Gunners happy in front of the goal like Then.
Two other players could be here: Barca’s Gavi and English phenom Jude Bellingham.
04
Terminator and two attack geniuses
Offensively, there is a choice, and not just a few. Messi has had an exceptional start to the season, Mbappé too, Neymar is not to be outdone. Ukrainian Mudryk is very good. Nkunku is the top scorer in the Bundesliga. Dembelé has matured and remains capable of making improbable moves at Barça. Dutchman Gakpo shines at PSV. Vinicius panicked in Spain (to the point of attracting sad racist reactions in the stands). Gabriel Jesus resurrected with Arsenal. Anthony Gordon is doing the world of good at Everton. But not all these names have been preserved.
The first is the wonder of this beginning of the year: Erling Haaland. He, when he knows a big blow that is not so good, it is that he did not score in a match. That is, and it is very rare. The city’s new serial scorer completely outclassed the brilliant Argentinian Alvarez. Haaland has scored 18 times in 13 games in the Premier League, 5 times in 4 games in the Champions League. That’s crazy. And the worst thing is that his team does not play especially for him, even if De Bruyne helps him shine. Moreover, Haaland does not stay in front like a post, he drops a lot. In other words, it’s been said, but it’s clear, it’s crazy.
Next to the Norwegian, let’s talk about two pearls that make a big impression. The first to play at Bayern and definitely find a place there, at the expense of someone as talented as Gnabry. This is clearly about Jamal Musiala, the greatest hope of the German, who was brilliant in his selection where he established himself as an undisputed starter. The last of our Eleven has a name as difficult to say as it is to write: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. We never saw this 21-year-old Georgian coming, at least not at this level. He is one of the great architects of Napoli’s massive dominance in Italy, a club that has dropped just one match this season, against Liverpool in the Champions League (a match with no stakes for the Italians). Playing mainly on the left, but able to evolve throughout the attacking line, Kvaratskhelia amazes for his vision of the game, his strikes, his technique. To say that he arrived for 10 million euros this summer in Naples… Now he is 10 times more. Like Musiala, a player to watch closely.
