Contrast this with Football Manager, where youth intake is an event in itself. Clubs receive annual youth classes with players who reflect the club’s style, coaching setup, country, and financial investment in facilities. Youth players have real personalities, career ambitions, injury histories, and developmental ceilings — with FC 26 Coins none of it guaranteed.

Some players burn bright early and plateau. Others start slow but explode in their mid-20s. Managers can assign mentoring groups, training focuses, and personalized development plans. This unpredictability makes youth management engaging and emotionally fulfilling.

What FC 26 Needs to Implement

To evolve Career Mode in FC 26, EA Sports needs to design a youth development system that mirrors real-world unpredictability and emotional stakes. Here’s how:

1. Personality-Driven Youth Players

Every youth prospect should come with a unique personality. Are they ambitious? Loyal? Prone to laziness? These traits would affect training performance, adaptability, and potential ceiling. Managers would need to consider whether a player’s mindset fits the club’s philosophy — or whether mentorship and coaching could shape their development path.

2. Detailed Youth Reports and Academy Feedback

Scouts and youth coaches should provide detailed reports on young players. Instead of just “High potential,” feedback could include:

    “Promising dribbler but needs to work on tactical discipline.”

    “Struggles in high-pressure games.”

    “Thrives under leadership — possible future captain.”

This would allow managers to make informed decisions about promotions, training focus, and game time.

3. Under-21 and Reserve Team Integration

Currently, youth players in FC 25 can be sent on loan or occasionally used in Rush Mode tournaments. This feels like a placeholder rather than a true developmental pipeline. FC 26 should include Under-21 and reserve team leagues, allowing players to monitor match performance, stats, and form buy FC 26 Coins over time.