Having already spotlighted a collection of and that can help deliver positive point hauls in the game, today it’s the turn of the midfielders to take centre stage.
Central string-pullers, advanced playmakers and wide threats all feature as FIFA presents a list of key midfielders that could help lead your team to fantasy success.
Even without the extra points on offer for chances created (one for every two) Fernandes would have been a strong contender to be the most highly-owned midfielder in the game. With that added bonus, he’s almost a lock and significantly clear of the closest challenger (Lamine Yamal) in being present in more than 50% of all teams. Having come off an astonishing campaign in England where he created almost double the number of chances of any other player, as well as breaking that league’s all-time assists mark, it’s hard to bet against the Portuguese playmaker.
The group may be tough, the price somewhat eye-watering and competition for places high in a stacked France squad, but it’s just so hard to overlook such a dynamic attacking threat at one of the tournament favourites. Coming off a season where he created more assists than any other player in Europe, he also scored all three goals in France’s final warm-up match against Northern Ireland to emerge as virtually a must-own.
With Spain a real shot at playing eight matches at a World Cup for the first time, managers have a real decision to make with the precocious young talent over whether to lock him in from matchday one, or wait for a future transfer. That will depend on how the 18-year-old’s injury issues progress. One thing is for sure and that is there will be a point, likely during the group stage, where the clamour will be overwhelming to bring in one of the most gifted young stars the game has seen. A threat to earn huge points whenever he takes the pitch, the question for fantasy managers mirrors that being pondered by Luis de la Fuente as to just when he will be fit and ready to produce.
We’ve targeted Colombian assets defensively and it’s hard to ignore one of the nation’s greatest attacking talents here, especially at such an appealing price. Even at 34, James still poses a genuine attacking threat and having scored in both of Colombia’s pre-tournament fixtures this month, he’s also entering in good form. With a possible scouting bonus lure and further points on offer for chances created he’s very hard to turn away from.
Veteran Austrian midfielder leader didn’t have the most prolific domestic campaign this season but at international level he’s been a consistent producer of attacking returns. Averaging close to a goal contribution every two matches, Sabitzer has been in stellar form for Austria, scoring the winner against both Korea Republic and Tunisia in pre-tournament fixtures, and two goals and an assist against Ghana prior to that. Likely to be on the majority of set pieces and possibly penalties, the 32-year-old offers strong value.
With a very manageable group, and an opening tussle against debutants Curaçao it’s a risky proposition to avoid German attacking assets. The probable question in this case is which of Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala is likely to produce the better return. There’s an argument to be made that the cheaper option may actually be the more profitable. Although Wirtz struggled at points in first season at Liverpool, he’s remained a consistent producer for Germany, scoring two and grabbing a pair of assists in a March clash with Switzerland, and also finding the back of the net against Finland in a pre-tournament warm-up fixture.
With looming questions over the fitness of star forward Romelu Lukaku, all signs are pointing towards Charles De Ketelaere being an ‘out of position’ option up front, for at least the Red Devils’ opening fixture with Egypt. The 25-year-old Atalanta ace has indeed largely featured in that role for his nation over the past 12 months, with an impressive return of four goals and an assist in his last five matches, including a strike against Tunisia last week.
The issue, and perhaps the reason for a very appealing price point, is not the talent that one of the most highly-regarded young midfielders on the planet possesses. Rather, the questions around bringing Paz into fantasy line-ups centre squarely around whether or not he’ll make the real-life Albiceleste one. If he does then he’ll be in a majority of teams, given his raw ability to both create and finish in an Argentina side that enter the tournament in imperious form.
After tearing things up for several years in his homeland, Pavel Sulc’s first season in France could hardly have gone any better. Across 38 matches in all competitions, the Lyon midfielder registered 14 goals and seven assists to help pilot his side to a fourth placed finish. Set to line up as one of the two attacking midfielders in Czechia’s 3-4-2-1 set-up, the 25-year-old looms as a key creative threat for the European hopefuls.
Sources: FIFA Official
