In any game players will find an easy route to success, be it an unholy downpour of death from a chopper gunner in Modern Warfare 2 or spamming the unavoidable head kick of Jon Jones, and FIFA is no exception to the exploitation of cheap and aggravating tactics on occasion.

In FIFA 13, the inevitable curling wonder strike from the edge of the box became something of a formality – the sort of goal that should’ve earned bragging rights amongst your friends, but instead invited endless ridicule for choosing an easy cop out option guaranteed success.

To their credit, EA eradicated this monumental annoyance in FIFA 14, but that only forced players down another path, the path of the ‘sweaty’ goal. It has long been a tirelessly repeated plan for easy scoring opportunities throughout the FIFA franchise, but the 2014 edition enhanced the problem to a whole new level, and as a result the waves of rage grew far, far higher.

However, not all of this can be blamed on the mechanics of the game, nor on the developers; in order to carry out these trouncing strategies, you need the right tools, and thanks to EA’s occasionally comical inability to power certain players correctly, players looking to exploit are handed easy opportunities. Be it the overwhelming pace that Walcott explodes with (rather than the injuries he explodes with in real life) or simply the fact that David Luiz is arguably the best defender on FIFA 14, there are certain outrageous game ratings that feed those in search of sweaty play.

Here we take a look at 7 young players who will probably boast over-powered abilities in FIFA 15…


7. Kurt Zouma

The intimidating days of rugged centre-backs are a distant memory, as the modern age of football has brought a new wave of defenders who possess a lot more athleticism and skill on the ball – as well as Mike Williamson – and one exciting prospect who fits the bill is Chelsea’s 19-year-old, Kurt Zouma.

Household names have fallen by the wayside in recent years of FIFA, like Felipe Santana for example – not a name that will find its way onto many starting team sheets in real life, but on FIFA? One of the greatest defenders to have ever lived, and the regularity of these situations rattles the purists of the game.

So at a towering 6 ft 3 and with impressive FIFA 14 stats such as 84 jumping, 85 strength and a nimble 71 sprint speed, we could have seen a warning shot of what is to come, especially given that he is now primed to join up with Chelsea. Keeping in mind that realistic attributes are somewhat a weak spot for EA, the former Saint-Etienne man could be one of the go to men next year, as a Santana 2.0 in the making?

6. Raphael Varane

Having broken into the Real Madrid set-up at just 18-years-old, Raphael Varane has found it difficult to be anything more than a squad rotation player at the Santiago Bernabeu, but this may be about to change ahead of the new season.

A regular starter in the World Cup and shortlisted for the tournament’s best young player, Varane is finally showcasing all the qualities that were first expected of him, but of course FIFA players already knew of such talent. His 80 strength, 85 interceptions and 85 heading accuracy along with 86 sliding tackles and 84 standing tackles in FIFA make him an unbeatable force at the heart of any FIFA defence.

However, creators of FIFA 15 should be wary of any overwhelming upgrades to the 21-year-old Frenchman. We can probably expect the likes of Vincent Kompany and Thiago Silva to be the pinnacle of defensive selections, and while Varane may have all the potential in the world, one would hope EA stay true to his current capabilities and not make him the greatest young player in the world ever.

5. Memphis Depay

Joining Varane on the shortlist for the World Cup’s young player award was Memphis Depay, the 20-year-old Dutch winger who scored the winning goal against Australia before grabbing his second of the tournament in a 2-0 win over Chile.

We see a lot of youthful talent make a sudden and sometimes surprising impact at these major world events, however Depay’s form was no surprise to followers of the Eredivisie, who will have seen the PSV wonder boy enjoy a hugely impressive campaign in front of goal, netting 14 times.

Despite being an underwhelming 73 overall in FIFA 14, Depay boasts all the key stats for any forward, 89 acceleration, 85 shot power and 82 dribbling, but any rise among the ranks of FIFA’s stand-out attackers should be measured in careful moderation.

With four star skills and a four star weak foot already installed in his arsenal, Depay is already a great player to utilise on the game, but if not handled correctly, FIFA 15 is in danger of producing another unstoppable winger. It’s frustrating enough with the likes of Ronaldo and Bale who find the net with every touch of the ball, so we definitely don’t need another one.

4. Adnan Januzaj

Manchester United experienced too many lows in a torrid season, but the birth of Adnan Januzaj’s Premier League career was undoubtedly a soaring high for the Red Devils as the baby-faced winger took Old Trafford by storm with a string of crowd pleasing performances.

The current love affair with Belgian football produced a number of over-powered attackers in FIFA 14, notably Christian Benteke and Kevin De Bruyne, two of the most clinical players in the game but perhaps not quite deservedly so. EA will have to restrain themselves with Januzaj as it would be easy to add him to the ever-growing Belgian takeover.

Before Januzaj burst onto the scene, he was given an insulting 61 overall, but his efforts rewarded him with an upgraded rating of 73, with 82 ball control, 82 dribbling and 88 agility some of the stand out figures, but he is still a rookie in the upper echelon of football and unproven at a consistent rate. Januzaj has plenty of time to grow, but at 19 years old EA should put a lid on any temptation of astronomical growth.

3. Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba’s rise to fame has been well documented over the past two years; consecutive league titles with Juventus has moulded the Frenchman into one of the most dominant midfield generals in world football and he now faces a summer of transfer speculation as Europe’s top clubs chase Pogba’s services.

His consistent brilliance has been rewarded with numerous accolades, including a spot in the majority of FIFA squads. Pogba received an incredible eight upgrades over the course of FIFA 14, staggering when you consider how good his original 79 overall was, including stats such as 86 shot power, 87 strength, 83 long shots and 82 long passing among many more.

However, it must be remembered that Pogba is still only 21 years old and EA have repeatedly made the mistake of bumping up the overall of players a tad too early, take Fellaini for example, a shadow of his former self at Old Trafford but an unbeatable tank on FIFA 14. Therefore it may be slightly more practical to give Pogba another year of growth before EA start handing out 85-90 overalls, of which a limited few can boast.

2. Raheem Sterling

Liverpool’s surge to near Premier League success was undoubtedly masterminded by Luis Suarez, but their second place finish was heavily aided by a number of Anfield’s finest, none more so than Raheem Sterling.

The 19-year-old live-wire netted 10 times on his way to picking up Liverpool’s young player of the year award and earning a respectful fear from his opponents. Sterling was thought of as a raw and unpredictable talent but under Brendan Rogers he has developed into a complete attacker.

Like Pogba, Sterling received a number of upgrades on FIFA 14, but his original overall was an average 76, with his key stats being 92 acceleration, 88 agility and 82 dribbling. Despite an impressive year with Liverpool, it would be far too quick on the trigger to gift Sterling with over-powering abilities, his pace and dribbling are undeniable but we certainly haven’t seen the clinical nature consistently enough to warrant an unfair leap in his capabilities on FIFA 15.

1. Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku was surrounded with hype upon his arrival at Chelsea, but the then 18-year-old failed to make much of an impact with limited chances, however two successful loan spells at West Brom and Everton, where he outscored every Chelsea player, have turned him into one of the leagues most prolific forwards.

Lukaku is the spearhead of a vibrant Belgian side littered with young talent, yet his ability has gone unnoticed by Chelsea, and if he’s to be an outcast of the London club, then there will be no shortage of takers. FIFA 14 is another guilty partner in ignoring the striker’s talent, a disappointing 77 overall was considerably less than many expected.

However, the combination of 90 strength, 84 shot power and 85 sprint speed makes for one deadly frontman in the FIFA community. Despite another fortunate season in front of goal, FIFA 15 would be wise to control upgrades on Lukaku.

Ibrahimovic springs to mind when we think of strong, athletic strikers and FIFA are culpable for serious over-powering of the Swedes ability, and if Lukaku isn’t handled correctly, we could see a repeat of this problem. Nobody wants to feel hopeless when certain players get on the ball, but EA are certainly capable of making Lukaku just that guy in FIFA 15.