Most people playing FIFA 21 opt to only try out the multiplayer modes, disregarding the career mode. However, this mode was the bread and butter of EA's franchise for many years, until Ultimate Team came around in March 2009 and changed the landscape of sports games for the years to come.
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Although a lot of players missed it, the release of FIFA 21 brought some much-needed changes to career mode. It has gotten a whole lot more dynamic, with the ability to jump in and out of simulating the game. Additionally, some other minor touches make navigating the menus more convenient. However, the core of the game has not changed. For career mode newcomers, one thing remains the most important: picking the right team to manage.
Updated July 20, 2021 by Maciej Grzymkowski: Players have really dug in and started to create their own fantastic ultimate teams and rosters in FIFA 21. There are so many amazing combinations that can be made and the prospect of collecting a multitude of players is exciting. But FIFA 21 is more than just an ultimate team mode and there are still many players around the world that are craving the "traditional experience." Career mode is a fantastic way to scratch the FIFA itch while also maintaining the "realism" of each club available. But with so many teams to choose from, which ones offer the best bang for the buck? To help new and veteran players alike choose from the large pool of teams, this article has been updated to include even more clubs.
15 Salford City Has A Big Transfer Budget
Transfer Budget: £1,710,000
League: EFL League 2
This League 2 side is the best team to choose for players who want to live out the Cinderella football fantasy: taking a club from the fringes of the game and leading them to win the highest honors, like the Premier League title or the UEFA Champions League.
Salford City will provide players with a transfer budget larger than that of any other League 2 club. With over 2 million euros to spend, savvy managers will be able to loan out and cover the wages of Premier League players with an overall rating between 70-80 to help themselves rise up the table in the very first season.
14 Buy Aging Legends And Dominate Asia With Beijing Guoan
Transfer Budget: £27,418,000
League: Chinese Super League
Starting a FIFA 21 managerial career outside of Europe may seem intimidating to many new players. After all, any club and league outside of the Old Continent belong to the periphery of the footballing world. Players will be cut off from the big money, as well as the landmark competitions, such as the UEFA Champions League. It's not all doom and gloom, though. Choosing a wealthy non-European team could prove to be a lot of fun for managers who want to make a name for themselves before moving onto an English or Spanish team.
Beijing Guoan is the perfect answer for players who want to challenge themselves outside of the top European leagues but aren't keen on enduring the financial struggle that's often associated with that choice. With 27.5 million pounds at their disposal, players can go on a shopping spree and assemble a dream team of aging football legends ready to go out and wreak havoc in the Chinese Super League.
13 Ajax Amsterdam Has Promising Young Talent
Transfer Budget: £26,506,000
League: Eredivisie
In the real world, Ajax Amsterdam is considered to have one of the best youth academies in all of Europe. Just two seasons ago, they managed to reach the Champions League semi-finals with a team built around homegrown players such as Frenkie De Jong, Matthijs De Light, and Donny Van De Beek.
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The Ajax wonderkids mentioned above have since been poached by larger clubs, the likes of FC Barcelona and Manchester United. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't any exciting youngsters to work with at Ajax. New managers should focus on two things. First, they should expand their scouting network to bring in more young talent. Next, use their academy products to either make some money in the transfer market or introduce them to the first team.
12 PSG Can Quickly Climb To The Top
Transfer Budget: £120,318,000
League: Ligue 1
Paris Saint-Germain needs no introduction. Soccer fans around the world either hate their guts or support them with a fiery passion. Either way, PSG can't be ignored. Since the financial takeover in 2011, the team has transformed itself into a European giant.
It is one of the easiest teams to manage in FIFA 21. With a budget of 120 million pounds and a star-studded squad led by Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, players shouldn't have a problem winning the European treble with PSG within their first two seasons.
11 Challenge The Giants With Atletico Madrid
Transfer Budget: £61,716,000
League: La Liga
It is no secret that the Spanish La Liga has been dominated by two teams: Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. These rivals have won 60 La Liga titles combined, and it looks as if these winning runs will continue long into the 21st century. However, one team can proudly compete with these hegemons -- Atletico Madrid.
They are the only team to have won the Spanish top flight in the 2010s aside from Real Madrid and Barca. With the likes of Joao Felix, Luis Suarez, and Jan Oblak in their ranks, as well as a transfer budget of almost 62 million pounds, players hungry for a challenge should aim to establish another footballing dynasty in Madrid with Atletico.
10 A Smart Manager Can Save AC Milan
Transfer Budget: £33,209,000
League: Serie A
The last decade was particularly cruel on AC Milan. The team has gone through a huge slump of form, which has seen their reputation as one of the best clubs in Europe squandered. Europa League spots were the most that AC Milan could count on in the last couple of seasons.
However, some smart transfer moves (ex. bringing in Zlatan Ibrahimovic) and the ability to retain prime goalkeeping talent in the form of Gianluigi Donnarumma have rejuvenated the team. Players who choose AC Milan in career mode will need to sell off some of the underperforming players. They should then focus on bringing in high-potential players to secure long-term success.
9 Bring The Ligue 1 Trophy Back To Lyon
Transfer Budget: £39,506,000
League: Ligue 1
Olympique Lyonnais used to dominate the first division of French football in the 2000s, much like PSG has done within the last decade. After the Qatari financial takeover of the Parisian club in 2011, the Lyon team just could not compete with Paris Saint-Germain's financial might and the players they brought in.
Players who take over that club should aim for ending PSG's domestic dominance before challenging for European trophies. At the start of 2020/21 season, Lyon has a squad filled to the brim with exciting talent, spearheaded by the 26-year-old Dutch star, Memphis Depay. Keeping him in Olympique may prove to be a big challenge for new managers, but raising his wages should do the trick.
8 Restore Manchester United To Its True Glory
Transfer Budget: £167,488,000
League: Premier League
The Red Devils have not been the same team since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, but they remain one of the richest teams in the Premier League. They're always in contention for the highest honors in English and continental competitions.
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In real life, their main problem has been poor recruitment and the inability to show character in key matches. As managers in FIFA's career mode, players can easily fix those problems and restore Manchester United's status as the best soccer team in the world. A transfer budget of 167 million pounds and a roster of talented young players at their disposal will help, too.
7 Continue Manchester City's Winning Streak
Transfer Budget: £167,020,000
League: Premier League
Manchester United fans often refer to Manchester City as the "noisy neighbors". This comes from their ability beat out United in direct clashes, but failure to achieve any long-lasting success in the league. In recent years, however, the tables have turned and the Citzens are winning back-to-back Premier League titles.
Players who take over Manchester City will be backed by a healthy transfer budget of 167 million pounds. They'll also have a team filled to the brim with some of the highest players in the game. However, they need to be wary that if they fail to win the UEFA Champions League in the first couple of seasons, they might find themselves facing the sack early on in their careers.
6 Make Use Of RB Leipzig's Financial Backing And Young Players
Transfer Budget: £50,477,000
League: Bundesliga
Unlike Borussia Dortmund or Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig is far from a household name in German football. However, after rising through the lower divisions thanks to the financial backing of Red Bull and state-of-the-art training facilities, this team has established itself as the third most powerful force in the Bundesliga.
With a transfer budget of over 50 million pounds and a roster of solid players, many of whom have the potential for their overall ratings to reach the high 80s within a couple of seasons, a skilled tactician and FIFA player could easily give them the push they need to challenge for the top prizes, both internationally and domestically.
5 Bring Benfica Back To The Top
Transfer Budget: £26,351,000
League: The Primeira Liga
For many decades, Benfica Lisbon was engaged in a fierce rivalry with FC Porto, the most successful club in Portugal. Although they have managed to win quite a few national trophies over the course of the last decade, they failed to make an impact in Europe and fell down the pecking order in Portugal, as well.
With a world-class youth academy and quite a few decent homegrown players, new managers can elevate Benfica to new heights. They can return them to the top of the Portuguese league's table, and use the prize money to strengthen the squad in order to take a shot at winning the UEFA Champions League.
4 Get Watford Back Into The Premier League
Transfer Budget: £32,401,000
League: EFL Championship
Some gamers may not be experts at FIFA's career mode, but don't want to make things too easy for themselves by choosing a rich, successful club. Teams that were recently relegated from the Premier League make a perfect choice for these players.
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In FIFA 21, Watford FC is one of those teams. Their budget is much larger than those of the other Championship teams. With solid players such as Ismaila Sarr and Troy Deeney, players can start getting Watford back on their feet from the get-go.
3 Wolverhampton Wanderers Are Full Of Potential
Transfer Budget: £40,320,000
League: Premier League
Wolverhampton Wanderers, more commonly known as Wolves, is one of the more interesting teams to have played in the Premier League in recent years. This team is filled with skilled Portuguese players. Ever since they got promoted from the Championship in 2018, they're regularly in contention for the Europa League spots in the English top division.
With the right amount of managerial acumen and the right scouting strategy, players can take the existing Wolves team and solidify their spot in the top 6 of the Premier League. There's even the potential to turn them into the champions of England within a few seasons.
2 Start A Long-Term Project With AS Roma
Transfer Budget: £39,608,000
League: Serie A
AS Roma is one of those clubs that never quite make the lists of the absolute best clubs in Europe, but are never too far away from challenging for the top prizes. Just three years ago, in 2018, they've almost made it to the Champions League final, after beating Barcelona in the quarters and narrowly losing to Liverpool due to the away goals rule in the semi-finals.
40 million pounds is plenty of money for managers who are willing to pledge themselves to Roma for the long term. That kind of money can buy the most exciting young prospects in European football, but they'll need time to develop into top stars. Within three to four seasons, however, a well-managed Roma side could break into the European elite for good.
1 End Bayern's Dominance With Borussia Dortmund
Transfer Budget: £53,996,000
League: Bundesliga
Once, Borussia Dortmund was the only team in Germany capable of challenging Bayern Munich's hegemony in the Bundesliga. That changed with the arrival of RB Leipzig. Thanks to the financial backing and a sound youth development strategy, this team has upset the balance of power in the German top division.
With a roster of players that includes Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho, and Gio Reyna, though, FIFA players have the chance to not only neutralize the threat posed by Leipzig, but also finally dethrone Bayern. However, they must be able to keep hold of their biggest stars and replace some of their aging defensive players.
NEXT: FIFA 21 Career Mode: 10 Tips To Turn A Championship Side Into A Premier League Winner In Two Seasons