Haaland and Musiala among a Bundesliga Young Star XI in FM22
The Bundesliga is home to some of the most talented players in world football, with many of the league’s top clubs earning reputations for developing youngsters...
It’s no surprise that young talents from around the world chose Germany’s top-flight as the place to mature into seasoned professionals. We’ve put together a starting XI of Wonderkids you should be taking a closer look at in FM22.
Goalkeeper: Florian Müller (VfB Stuttgart)
Florian Müller is the youngest regular starting goalkeeper in the Bundesliga. Aged 23 at the start of your FM22 save, the shot-stopper moved from Mainz to VfB Stuttgart last summer to replace the Borussia Dortmund-bound Gregor Kobel. In FM22, Müller’s standout Attributes are his impressive 16 Composure and 17 Running Out (Tendency).
Right-back: Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)
It's hard to imagine the Bayer Leverkusen system without Jeremie Frimpong. The rapid full-back has been almost ever-present this season, providing defensive cover as well as goals and assists in the final third. The former Celtic man is extremely fast (17 for both Pace and Acceleration), making him a perfect player for those managers looking for creativity from the flank.
Centre-back: Nico Schlotterbeck (Freiburg)
An accomplished centre-back, Nico Schlotterbeck is constantly developing and is an integral part of Freiburg’s overachieving starting XI. Standing at close to 6'3", his 15 Jumping Reach makes him a defensive rock and a threat from set-pieces. Can you tap into his enormous potential?
Centre-back: Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig)
Gvardiol, a Croatia international, has established himself as a regular starter in his debut season in the Bundesliga. The 19-year-old centre-back - who can also fill in at left-back - is a top talent capable of stabilising any defence; not only in the real world but in FM22 too. With 17 Pace, 16 Strength and 16 Natural Fitness, he’s the sort of defender you’d hate to play against but love to have among your ranks.
Left-back: Luca Netz (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Only 18-years-old, Luca Netz has made his breakthrough in the Bundesliga this season with Borussia Mönchengladbach after moving from Hertha Berlin last summer. In FM22, as in real life, he has high Determination (18), and boasts very strong Pace and Acceleration (both 15) for a defender.
Central midfielder: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)
Jude Bellingham is not just one of the greatest talents in the Bundesliga, but in the entire world. The young Englishman has all the prerequisites to become a world-class player. Despite being only 18, he already dominates the midfield. He is extremely strong mentally and boasts several very strong Technical Attributes. With an incredibly strong base to work with, you can shape him into the heartbeat of your midfield for many years to come in FM22.
Central midfielder: Angelo Stiller (Hoffenheim)
Young central midfielder Angelo Stiller moved from Bayern Munich to Hoffenheim in the summer. Now a regular on the pitch for Die Kraichgauer, he scored his first Bundesliga goal earlier this season. Stiller brings many strong Attributes scores to the table, most notably his 15 Composure and 15 Passing.
Attacking midfielder: Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
Few players have taken to the elite stage as young or as quickly as Jamal Musiala. The Germany international is not just a regular in the star ensemble of Bayern, but one of their most important players because of his outstanding technique. In FM22, his Flair (18), Agility (16) and Dribbling (17) give him everything you need to entertain your fans.
Attacking midfielder: Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
A player set to feature alongside Musiala on the international stage for a long time to come is Leverkusen’s prized asset, Florian Wirtz. The attacking midfielder is one of the first names on the teamsheet for Die Werkself and regularly produces highlight-worthy contributions. Despite only being 18, Wirtz already has more than 50 Bundesliga appearances to his name and, on average, is involved in a goal in every other game. His 16 Technique and 15 Vision make him dangerous from the off in FM22.
Attacking midfielder: Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig)
Hungarian standout Dominik Szoboszlai joined Leipzig last winter but spent a lot of his first six months in Germany on the sidelines with an injury. The midfielder returned to action at the start of this season and has been showing just what he can do every week; he’s registered double-digit goal contributions across all competitions. Szoboszlai is a real set-piece dynamo, reflected in FM22 with 16s across the board for Corners, Free-Kicks and Penalties.
Striker: Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
Many of you probably consider Erling Haaland a ‘cheat code’ in FM, but the Norwegian is proving practically unstoppable in the real world as well. For Dortmund, he is currently averaging a goal every game and seemingly putting fear into every opposition defensive line he comes up against. His 20 Determination, 19 Pace and 18 Finishing mean he is almost without comparison in FM22, and that’s just the start. His potential is almost limitless.
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