Career mode in EA Sports FC 26 gives you the chance to build something special, and having the right striker can make all the difference between a good season and a great one.
The forwards in this year’s game bring different flavours to the table. Some are physical powerhouses who bully defenders, while others rely on pace to leave opposition players in the dust.
What makes career mode so engaging is watching these players grow and develop over multiple seasons.
You might sign someone at 24 and watch them transform into a world-beater by the time they hit their late twenties. Or you could grab a veteran who still has one or two elite seasons left in the tank. The variety is what keeps things interesting.
Serhou Guirassy – 87 Rating
Guirassy plays for Borussia Dortmund and while he might not grab the same headlines as some of the bigger names on this list, his 87 rating tells you everything you need to know about his quality.
At 29 years old, what you see is pretty much what you get. He has reached his peak and will remain there for a while before the inevitable decline sets in.
The beauty of Guirassy lies in his speciality. He is an absolute monster in the air, and his finishing is clinical. When you whip crosses into the box, you want him on the end of them.
His heading accuracy, combined with his positioning, means he wins aerial duels and converts chances that other strikers might miss. His pace sits somewhere in the average range, so asking him to chase long balls over the top probably will not bring the best results.
Instead, build your attack around getting quality service into the box. Pair him with wingers who can deliver dangerous crosses, and watch him rack up the goals. He represents excellent value for teams that prefer a more traditional style of football, where width and crossing are integral parts of the strategy.
10. Victor Osimhen – 87 Rating
Osimhen currently plays for Galatasaray, and at 26, he sits in that sweet spot where he still has room to grow. His rating can climb from 87 all the way up to 91 during your career mode save, giving you several seasons of improvement to look forward to. Even if he settles somewhere in between, you are getting a quality striker who can lead the line for a top club.
The Nigerian forward gives you versatility in how you want to attack.
His electric pace means he thrives when you play direct, launching balls in behind the defensive line for him to chase down. At the same time, his aerial ability makes him a legitimate threat from crosses. That combination is rare and valuable.
You can switch up your approach depending on the opponent, going over the top against a high defensive line or working the ball wide and crossing it in against teams that sit deep.
His passing leaves something to be desired, so using him as a false nine probably would not maximize his abilities. Stick him up top as a traditional center forward and let him do what he does best, which is terrorize defenders with his physical tools and finishing ability.
9. Viktor Gyokeres – 87 Rating
The Swedish striker brings an 87 rating with the potential to reach 91. At 27, the window for significant growth is starting to close, but he should still give you a few seasons of development before he plateaus.
Gyokeres is built differently. His physical stats are ridiculous, with strength, stamina, and sprint speed all sitting in the 90s. When a defender tries to push him off the ball, they will find themselves bouncing off instead. When he gets a step on someone, they are not catching him.
That combination of power and pace creates so many problems for defences. They cannot just drop deep because he will sprint past them. They cannot press high because he will hold the ball and wait for support.
His finishing is sharp enough to punish any mistakes, and his heading is actually better in the game than what you might expect from watching him in real life.
If you want a striker who can dominate physically while also having the speed to get in behind, Gyokeres checks all those boxes.
8. Julian Alvarez – 87 Rating
Alvarez plays for Atletico Madrid in career mode and represents one of the most exciting development prospects among elite strikers. He starts at 87 but can potentially climb all the way to 94, which would make him the best striker in the world by the end of your save.
At just 24 years old, you have plenty of time to develop him.
His game is built on being good at everything rather than exceptional at one thing. He has good pace, good shooting, good passing, and good dribbling. That versatility means he fits into different tactical systems without needing major adjustments.
Want to play quick combinations through the middle? He can do that. Need someone to make runs in behind? He has the speed. Looking for a striker who can drop deep and link play? His passing is solid enough.
The main weaknesses are his lack of aerial threat and only having two PlayStyle abilities compared to other elite forwards. But those minor limitations do not stop him from being a proficient attacker who can lead your line for years while continuously improving.
7. Robert Lewandowski – 88 Rating
The Polish legend starts career mode at 88 for Barcelona, which is impressive for someone who is 36 years old.
Age catches up with everyone, though, and Lewandowski begins the mode already in decline. His ratings will start dropping as the seasons progress, so if you want to experience prime Lewandowski, you need to act fast.
In those first couple of seasons, he remains one of the most lethal strikers in the game. His finishing is exceptional, probably among the top three or four in the entire game.
His heading is similarly elite. He also has a decent pace for his age and enough strength to hold off defenders. The problem is that these attributes will gradually decrease with each passing year. That makes him perfect for a short-term project.
Maybe you are managing a team that needs an immediate impact signing to push for a title. Or perhaps you are doing a single-season career mode.
In those scenarios, Lewandowski delivers world-class production. Just do not expect him to be your long-term solution.
6. Lautaro Martinez – 88 Rating
Martinez plays for Lombardia FC in the game because Inter does not have licensing, but EA still treats him with the respect he deserves. His 88 rating can improve to 90, and at 27, he has a few good development years left before he hits his absolute peak.
What stands out immediately is his 93 finishing, which ranks among the very best in EA Sports FC 26.
When he gets a clear chance in the box, you can almost guarantee it will end up in the back of the net. Beyond that ridiculous finishing stat, he brings decent pace and dribbling, making him mobile enough to create his own chances. His heading is solid, adding another dimension to his game.
Perhaps most importantly, his stamina is impressive, and the Relentless ability boosts his recovery at halftime. That means he can press aggressively, make constant runs, and still be energetic in the final minutes of matches.
Martinez is the type of striker who never stops working, and that energy, combined with his clinical finishin,g makes him incredibly valuable.
5. Alexander Isak – 88 Rating
Isak moved to Liverpool in the game and carries an 88 rating that can grow to 92. At 25, he hits that perfect age where he is already elite but still has room to improve over the next few seasons.
The Swedish forward excels in two main areas: dribbling and finishing.
His ability to take defenders on in one-on-one situations is outstanding, and once he creates that bit of space, his finishing is lethal enough to punish it. He also has serious pace, so he can stretch defences vertically while also being shifty enough to beat them in tight spaces.
His aerial ability is acceptable, not a major strength but not a weakness either. The one thing he lacks is creativity. His passing and vision are just okay, so he works best as a pure goal scorer rather than someone who will create chances for teammates.
If you want a striker who can take the ball, beat a couple of defenders, and slot it home, Isak is your man.
4. Harry Kane – 89 Rating
Kane brings his 89 rating and continues his run as one of career mode’s most reliable strikers.
At 31, he sits at his peak, which means he will not improve but also will not decline for a little while. You are getting several seasons of elite production from one of the game’s best forwards.
Kane is dangerous in every attacking situation except for those requiring pace.
Whether he is hitting shots with his feet or attacking crosses with his head, he converts at an elite level. His positioning is always perfect, his finishing is clinical, and his heading is among the best in the game.
The passing ability he possesses in real life translates into the game as well, making him capable of dropping deep and playing teammates through. The obvious limitation is his lack of speed. He moves like someone who is 31 years old. But everything else he brings to the table more than compensates for that weakness.
If you build a system that does not rely on pace and instead emphasises technical quality and positioning, Kane might be the perfect striker for you.
3. Erling Haaland – 90 Rating
Haaland starts with a 90 rating that can climb to 94. At 24, he represents both immediate quality and long-term potential, which is a rare and valuable combination.
Calling Haaland a bulldozer actually undersells him because bulldozers are not that fast. He combines frightening speed with incredible strength, creating a physical profile that defenders simply cannot handle.
If they drop deep to contain his pace, he powers through them. If they press high to prevent through balls, he spins them with his strength and acceleration.
On top of these physical gifts, his finishing with both feet and head is unbelievable. The weak points are his dribbling and passing, but those feel like nitpicking when everything else is so elite.
Haaland is the type of striker who can single-handedly carry your attack for years. Sign him, watch him develop into a 94, and enjoy the goals that will flow.
2. Ousmane Dembele – 90 Rating
Dembele spent most of his career on the wing, but PSG deployed him centrally last season, so EA Sports FC 26 lists him as a striker.
His 90 rating reflects his quality, and at 28, he has peaked and will maintain this level for a while.
What makes Dembele special is how well-rounded he is. He has the pace to get in behind. He has the dribbling to beat defenders in tight spaces. He has the passing to create for teammates.
He has the finishing to convert chances. The only thing missing is heading, but when you can do everything else at an elite level, that feels like a minor complaint. Adding to his appeal are the five-star skill moves and five-star weak foot, which make him incredibly fun to control.
You can try elaborate skill moves, knowing he can execute them. You can shoot from either sid,e knowing the weak foot will not let you down. Dembele offers creativity and unpredictability that few strikers can match.
1. Kylian Mbappe – 91 Rating
At 26, he still has room to grow, with his potential reaching an absurd 98 rating. If you can develop him to that level, you will have the best player in the game, regardless of position.
The defining characteristic of Mbappe is his pace. He is the fastest player in EA Sports FC 26, period. No one comes close. That speed alone makes him a nightmare for defences because one through ball can lead to a goal in seconds.
But pace means nothing without the technical ability to back it up, and Mbappe has that in spades. His dribbling is exceptional, allowing him to weave through defenders even when they know he is the main threat. His shooting is clinical from any angle.
The areas where he is just okay rather than elite are heading and creativity, but those hardly matter when his other attributes are at the level they are.
Mbappe is the ultimate weapon in career mode, someone who can win matches by himself and will only get better as the seasons progress.
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