Games
Whether you're into strikers or wingers, these guys are going to get you goals
It sounds simple, but you win nothing in football if you can’t put the ball in the net. Forwards are the most exciting players to watch in football, and they can turn the game for you in an instant. FIFA 21 is packed to the rafters with top class forwards, but if you want to know who’s the very best of the bunch, look no further.
1. Lionel Messi, Barcelona, 93 Rated
Messi is, again, the best player in the game. Whether you lean towards Messi or Ronaldo, it’s undeniable that the top two forwards here have also been far and away the most dominant figures in world football over the last decade. After a brief transfer saga earlier this summer, Messi will no doubt be ready to let his football do the talking on the pitch again. With a 93 rating, he’ll certainly do that in FIFA 21.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo, Piemonte Calcio, 92 Rated
Ronaldo and Messi have swapped top spot in FIFA a few times over the past decade, but with Messi down at RW and Ronaldo at ST, it’s easy to get them both in your team, as long as you can nab their cards. Ronaldo has torn up every league he’s played in, and with 89 dribbling, 89 pace, and 93 shooting, he’ll tear up FIFA 21 too. He’s the second best forward, but has the highest shooting rating in the game.
3. Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich, 91 Rated
Despite the praise heaped on Messi and Ronaldo above, Lewandowski might feel aggrieved to only be the third best forward in the game, especially after last season. A 91 rating is nothing to be sniffed at and makes him the joint third best player in the game (tied with the next entry here, top keeper Oblak, and top midfielder De Bruyne), but after winning literally everything in his path and being the top scorer in each competition, it shows the might of Messi and Ronaldo that Lewa has to settle for bronze.
4. Neymar Jr, PSG, 91 Rated
Neymar Jr's attributes are plain for all to see and few could argue that he’s not one of the world’s absolute best after his recent displays for club and country. A key figure in PSG’s journey to the Champions League final, he remains a lynchpin in their attacking trio and you can expect more of the same from the Brazilian this season. He’s skilful, speedy, an incredible finisher, and a huge player in FIFA 21.
5. Mo Salah, Liverpool, 90 Rated
The mercurial Liverpool winger has been instrumental in their rise to footballing dominance, and after another colossal goal-scoring season, Salah retains his place as one of the best forwards in world football. He just misses out on the best RW spot by virtue of sharing a position with Messi, but Salah’s still going to be a key figure in FIFA 21, especially with an eye-watering 93 pace.
6. Sadio Mané, Liverpool 90 Rated
Few players in the game are faster than Salah, but his Liverpool teammate Sadio Mané is one of them, clocking in at 94, making him the second-fastest in the game. Salah’s actually the tenth best player in the game overall, which shows how stiff the competition in the forwards position is. After 18 Premier League goals last season, Mané has continued to show why he belongs with the best of the best.
7. Kylian Mbappé, PSG, 90 Rated
The only player faster than Mané is Mbappé, who shatters the speedometer at 96 pace. He’s far from just a speed merchant though, as anyone who has watched him for PSG or France can attest to. That pace is met with 91 dribbling and 86 shooting, and at just 21 years of age, FIFA 21’s cover star is only going to get better and better.
8. Sergio Agüero, Manchester City, 89 Rated
Agüero has been the Premier League’s best out and out striker for a long time, and with Salah and Mané wingers, he retains that crown once again. His pace at 78 puts him way back in the pack, but with 88 dribbling and 90 shooting (that’s the fifth highest shooting in the game), he’s the perfect poacher. You need to build your front line so it doesn’t rely so much on pace to get Agüero in there, but he’s devastating from inside the box.
9. Karim Benzema, Real Madrid, 89 Rated
Despite being a cornerstone of Real Madrid’s success over the past decade, Benzema has always seemed an underappreciated figure in world football. Real Madrid’s brighter stars often outshone him, but FIFA 21 is showing him some love with an 89 rating here. Like Aguero, he’s not reliant on pace - 74 rated in that category - but is a good dribbler, shooter, passer, and is more than physical enough to hold off challenges. He’ll only really be effective if you build a team around him.
Harry Kane, Eden Hazard, Raheem Sterling, and Paulo Dybala share tenth position with an 88 rating, giving Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Piemonte Calcio their second player on this list, and Spurs their second of two players to make a positional top ten, with Hugo Lloris the ninth rated goalkeeper.