In recent years, playing FIFA has become almost synonymous with playing the Ultimate Team mode. Sure, there are plenty of enjoyable game modes outside of it, such as the Career Mode or Pro Clubs, but it is FUT that captures the attention and imaginations of hundreds of thousands of players worldwide, every single day.
One of the easiest leagues from which a player can form a pretty formidable squad is the Premier League. The top flight of English football is often regarded as the best in the world. Coincidentally, it is also the most popular league in FIFA 21's FUT, and it isn't too hard to create a good team using Premier League players. Keep in mind that the upcoming EPL card suggestions are built with a 4-4-2 formation in mind.
8 Goalkeeper
Best Choice: Alison Becker. Liverpool's number 1 is the best goalkeeper in the game, and there is a good reason for it. Those who watch the Premier League on a regular basis know that Alison Becker makes difficult saves look easy, and his stats in FIFA reflect that. With a 90 overall rating, 91 positioning, and 89 reflexes, he will know how to stop a shot before it is even taken.
Budget Alternative: Nick Pope. If someone can't afford to pick up Alison off of the Transfer Market, the best alternative is the Burnley goalkeeper, Nick Pope. His average price oscillates around 3,000 coins. Although his overall rating is 82, it does not reflect Pope's true abilities. He is one of the tallest goalies in the game, making him able to stretch and reach shots that most shorter keepers simply can't.
7 Right Back
Best Choice: Trent Alexander-Arnold. The young English right-back is one of the best passers in the game, and although his physical rating of 71 may not make him the most durable defender, the modern game values right-backs who can come forward and help out in the team's offensive efforts much more.
Budget Alternative: Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Manchester United's wide defender might not be as good going forward as Trent Alexander-Arnold, but he more than makes up for it with his tackles. With an 83 overall rating and 82 defending stat, he will prove to be more than worth his 8,000 coin price tag, especially for players who prefer a more defensive approach.
6 Center Backs
Best Choices: Virgil van Dijk and Aymeric Laporte. Even though in real life Aymeric Laporte has fallen out of favor with Pep Guardiola due to injuries and John Stones' amazing form, he is still going strong in FIFA 21, with an 88 defensive stat and 81 physical. Virgil van Dijk, on the other hand, is one of the best defenders in the world, and the best in the game, with mind-boggling 91 defending and 86 physical stats.
Budget Alternatives: Joe Gomez and Harry Maguire. It is no secret that defenders in FIFA should have great physicality and respectable pace, to catch up with the best strikers. While Maguire is a slow player, his 85 physical stat makes him difficult to get past, while Joe Gomez with his 82 pace should more than make up for Harry's shortcomings in that department.
5 Left Back
Best Choice: Alex Telles. Many FUT fans will be outraged that Andy Robertson is not the best left-back choice, but the truth is that despite a lower overall rating than his Scottish counterpart, Alex Telles exceeds Robertson in some of the most important aspects of a modern full-back, including pace, dribbling, and passing. Telles also retains comparable defending and physicality levels.
Budget Alternative: Sergio Reguilon. Tottenham's Sergio Reguilon is a downgraded version of Alex Telles, with the same pace stat, but slightly lower passing and dribbling ratings. He's quite a bit cheaper than the Brazilian, though.
4 Right Midfielder
Best Choice: Mohammed Salah. Mo Salah, the "Egyptian King" and a key component of the Premier League-winning Liverpool team of 2020, is one of the best wingers in FIFA 21. With a 90 overall rating, blistering pace, 90-rated dribbling, and devastating shots, he can single-handedly win you games.
Budget Alternative: Raphinha. He is one of the best players FUT coins can buy for those people who are just starting out on their journey to FIFA greatness. With 91 pace and 82 dribbling, Raphinha is a reliable right-midfielder, fit for any budget, with his price oscillating around 14,000 coins.
3 Center Midfielders
Best Choices: Bruno Fernandes and Kevin De Bruyne. This pairing will probably never happen in real life, as Bruno Fernandes is a Manchester United star, while Kevin De Bruyne is a key part of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. In FUT, however, they can wreak some serious havoc while on the same team, provided that you can afford them both.
Budget Alternatives: Donny van de Beek and Allan. Donny van de Beek may not be getting the playtime he deserves at Manchester United at the moment, but with an 83 overall rating and all-rounded skill stats, he is a solid, cheap midfielder (~5,000 coins). Pair him with Allan, who's got great defensive stats, to build an engine room that will last for weeks.
2 Left Midfielder
Best Choice: Sadio Mane. It should come as no surprise that the "best choice" slots on this list are dominated by Liverpool players. After all, they've won just about everything there is to win between 2019 and 2020, and their players' stats reflect that. Having Sadio Mane on the left flank will render even the best defenders in the game nearly useless, with his 94 pace rating and 90-rated dribbling.
Budget Alternative: Allan Saint-Maximin. The 80 overall rating may not look too impressive, but the Newcastle winger is an incredible budget player. With 93 pace and 87 dribbling, sending him down the left-wing and cutting into the middle will be incredibly easy. His one downside is the 70-rated shooting skill, meaning that his finishing can be a little hit-and-miss.
1 Strikers
Best Choice: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Arsenal's best player is also one of the most prolific strikers in recent years. With an 87 overall rating and an 87 shooting stat, he's bound to find the target with most of the shots he takes. For such a highly rated player, he isn't too expensive, either, and if you're lucky, you'll be able to snatch him for around 40,000 coins.
Budget Alternative: Rodrigo. Since Aubameyang is not prohibitively expensive for a player of his caliber, players should be able to build their pairing of strikers quite cheaply, if they choose Rodrigo to compliment Arsenal's star in their 4-4-2 formation. He's what many FUT fans refer to as a "meta" card -- with blistering pace and a decent shooting stat (79), he plays as if his statistics were much higher than they actually are. Until a player can afford Aubameyang, buying Everton's Richarlison as the second striker might be a good idea.