If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

FIFA 23 Best Strikers and Wingers: Who are the best forwards to sign in FIFA 23 Career Mode?

Build a strike force to be feared!

Update: The winter transfer window has slammed shut and everyone's squads are sealed until the end of FIFA 23. However, despite some of the best strikers being snapped up by top clubs there are still some great deals to be had.

We've updated our stats and picks to reflect who has been on a hot-streak and who has been misfiring coming out of the World Cup break.

There are so many awesome strikers and wingers in FIFA 23 that it’s tough to fit them all into your starting eleven. But that just means when you’ve got a whole squad to work with in Career Mode, you should never have a lack of depth up-front.

Many common formations at the cutting-edge of European football only include one striker, so they have to have it all: enough speed to get in behind, enough physicality to hold up the ball, a deft enough touch to link up play and a deadly eye for goal to finish off attacks.

Luckily for you there are more than a few players out there who fit this bill perfectly. Not all of them will break the bank either, with players available to suit all kinds of budgets and playstyles.

When it comes to Wingers, there are a few different directions you can take when building your team. Do you want to lean into the more classic interpretation with wide-men that mostly swing crosses into the box? Or do you want to take inspiration from Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and make the wingers the focal point of your attack as inside forwards?

Cover image for YouTube videoFIFA 23 | Official Ted Lasso Trailer

To get things started, we’ll list all of the best strikers in FIFA 23 as judged by the highest overall ratings in the game. While many of them will be familiar names, they’re still the most dangerous forwards around.

Then to introduce you to some up-and-coming players you might not have heard of, we’ll list some lower overall strikers and wingers that have extremely high potential. Not all of them will be available right away, but you will surely be facing them in finals as your save goes on. If you’re looking for young players specifically, we have a whole page on FIFA 23 Wonderkids.

Finally, we’ll run through the best strikers and wingers to sign in FIFA 23 Career Mode based on our extensive research (that means playing FIFA too much). They are the most incredible, most overpowered players you can add to your squad, so don’t complain if they end up making things too easy!

To build out the rest of your team, we also have pages on the best CAMs, CMs and CDMs in FIFA 23, the best defenders in FIFA 23 and the best goalkeepers in FIFA 23.

Who are the best strikers to sign in FIFA 23 Career mode?

  • Rasmus Hojlund - Bergamo Calcio - 19 - £3.9m Value / £15,000 Wage - 71 OVR/ 86 POT

Tearing it up for Atalanta (Bergamo Calcio in FIFA 23) this season is Rasmus Hojlund, a gifted Dane who's tall, fast and strong enough to do just about anything.

While his technicals are quite raw for top teams, his accessible price makes him an unreal option for slightly smaller teams on their way up to the summit.

  • Jorgen Strand Larsen - Celta Vigo - 22 - £6m Value / £15,000 Wage - 73 OVR/ 82 POT

For another Scandi strongman to stick up front, check out Strand Larsen at Celta in La Liga.

While his potential ceiling isn't quite as high from the start of your save, he has a similar skill set and is a bit further along in his development if you need a "win now" player.

You could even team him up with Hojlund to build a much-feared "big man, bigger man" combo.

  • Lois Openda - Lens - 22 - £14.6m Value / £25,000 Wage - 76 OVR/ 84 POT

The French league is full of athletic striking options, but Lois Openda is a quality, realistic signing who boasts incredible speed, good finishing and strength and exceptional jumping to get on the end of headed chances.

While there are even more overpowered options below, Openda is someone a little bit different who can easily grow to be just as unplayable.

  • Marcus Thuram - Borussia Monchengladbach - 24 - £23m Value / £28,000 Wage - 79 OVR/ 84 POT

With a starting position change back to ST and a buff to speed and finishing, Marcus Thuram, son of legendary French defender Lilian Thuram, looks to be getting back to his best after a couple of wayward seasons.

With great physicals and ball-carrying ability, as well as the extremely strong Outside Foot Shot trait, Marcus Thuram is a force to be reckoned with in FIFA 23.

Also pick up his brother Khephren for the base of your midfield to complete the peak career mode storyline.

  • Beto - Udinese - 24 - £21m Value / £18,000 Wage - 79 OVR/ 82 POT

Overpowered stats aren't limited to players with ridiculous room for growth - with dynamic potential you can make your own.

A fantastic, realistic signing for a number of teams in top divisions, Beto boasts 90 sprint speed and strength, as well as mid-80s finishing. And did we mention he's 6 foot 4?

With good positioning and decent dribbling, you could do a lot worse than having Beto lead your attack.

  • Victor Osimhen - Napoli - 23 - £50m Value / £62,000 Wage - 83 OVR/ 89 POT

Expensive, but worth every penny thanks to his awesome all-round stats on a deceptively low overall rating. We’re talking 90+ pace, 85 strength, nearly 90 finishing and 80 dribbling right from the start of your save.

What’s more, while he’s just over 6ft tall, 90 jumping makes Osimhen an absolute demon in the air - which is an underrated asset from corners and crosses.

He’s been extremely unlucky with injuries in real life, but this could be a breakout season that sees his rating sky-rocket.

  • Nicolo Zaniolo - Roma - 22 - £45.6m Value / £61,000 Wage - 81 OVR/ 88 POT - MOVED TO GALATASARY

In an effort to balance the books, the heir-apparent to Totti, the king of Rome, has constantly been linked with moves away from the Stadio Olimpico, but despite a string of serious injuries Nicolo Zaniolo still looks like a great player.

Capable of playing up front or a bit deeper, Zaniolo has nearly 90 pace, mid-80s strength and dribbling, as well as good passing to link up play. He even has decent tackling to help defend from the front in a high-pressing system.

  • Youssoufa Moukoko - Borussia Dortmund - 17 - £11.2m Value / £7,000 Wage - 75 OVR/ 89 POT

Still just 17, Youssoufa Moukoko holds the record as the Bundesliga’s youngest goalscorer, finding the net just hours after he was even allowed to be registered for senior football.

With great pace and very usable dribbling and finishing already, he’s the archetypal unrealistic Road to Glory signing and a real gem in FIFA 23.

He's seen huge upgrades to his overall rating from the start of FIFA 23 already, so he's not as great value as before, but it's still worth looking him up.

  • Brian Brobbey - Ajax - 20 - £14.2m Value / £11,000 Wage - 76 OVR/ 85 POT

After a really weird situation where he let his contract at Ajax run down to join RB Leipzig on a free transfer, only to be loaned back to Ajax and made permanent for nearly 20 million Euro less than a year later, Brian Brobbey has become a must-buy for any team with the budget to sign him.

For his stats, you’re getting an unreal deal. With more than 80 pace, 90 strength and jumping and nearly 80 finishing, he’s sure to fly up in rating with any amount of regular game time.

  • Noah Okafor - RB Salzburg - 22 - £10.8m Value / £22,000 Wage - 75 OVR/ 83 POT

Another ridiculous deal with just incredible stats for the cost, Noah Okafor has electric pace, mammoth strength and decent dribbling and finishing.

With mid-90s speed and mid-80s strength, with time his mid-70s technicals will catch up and he’ll be unplayable.

  • Datro Fofana - Molde - 19 - £2m Value / £1,000 Wage - 66 OVR/ 83 POT - MOVED TO CHELSEA

Even cash-strapped clubs have access to physically overpowered players thanks to Datro Fofana.

You know what to expect by now: 90 pace and 82 strength are the highlights, but nearly 70 dribbling and mid-60s finishing is not bad at all for a 66-rated striker.

With 83 potential to bring to the party as well, he’s an exceptional Road to Glory player in FIFA 23.

That was until he was snapped up by Chelsea in the winter transfer window of course, as they looked to grab pretty much every player going.

  • Goncalo Ramos - Benfica - 21 - £12m Value / £10,000 Wage - 75 OVR/ 85 POT

With basically all of his key stats in the mid-70s, Goncalo Ramos is on the cusp of being very special indeed. No wonder he's constantly linked with Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester United.

A starting potential growth of a full 10 ratings means that with consistent game time, it’s not going to take very long for those 70s to turn to 80s or even more. He's also a solid 6 feet tall, so his high jumping makes him a treat in the air as well as a target man who can hold up play.

  • Daryl Dike - West Brom - 22 - £3.6m Value / £18,000 Wage - 71 OVR/ 82 POT

Crosses and long balls seem to be a lot more effective in FIFA 23, so a straight up target man is a lot more fun to use.

And with 96 strength, there are few better target men around than Daryl “BigDike” - even if he washes his clothes with dishwasher tablets (look it up on TikTok).

  • Jonathan Burkardt - Mainz - 21 - £14.6m Value / £19,000 Wage - 76 OVR/ 84 POT

Quick, well-rounded and technically gifted, Jonathan Burkhardt is a classically-styled number 9 to check out if you don’t want to use the same old players that are just stupidly overpowered.

  • Ramiro Enrique - Atletico Banfield - 21 - £3.4m Value / £6,000 Wage - 70 OVR/ 82 POT

The recipient of a huge upgrade in FIFA 23, Ramiro Enrique reminds me of Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez because of his acceleration, stamina, and 90 jumping despite being on the shorter side.

  • Georgios Koutsias - PAOK - 18 - £1.3m Value / £500 Wage - 64 OVR/ 81 POT

Cheap as chips but with speed to trouble any defence, PAOK are in the Rest of the World league, so you don’t need to worry about stealing their best prospects.

One to look out for if you’re rising the leagues with a low-budget team.

  • Benjamin Sesko - Salzburg - 19 - £4.7m Value / £11,000 Wage - 72 OVR/ 85 POT

Heavily linked with Manchester United, and with good reason, this teenage target man is strong, mobile and technically proficient despite his age.

As mentioned above, crossing is a lot better this year, so feel free to lump balls up to the big man.

Brian Brobbey pointing to where he wants the ball in FIFA 23
Brian Brobbey is one of the best deals you can get on a striker in FIFA 23

Who are the best wingers to sign in FIFA 23 Career Mode?

  • Ernest Nuamah - FC Nordsjaelland - 18 - £1.5m Value / £1,000 Wage - 65 OVR/ 81 POT

With amazing pace and dribbling stats for the price, Nuamah is a fantastic signing for Road to Glory teams - and his starting potential means he doesn't feel as silly to sign with lower league teams.

2 star weak foot and 3 star skills are easily fixed with training, and he's still a great value player despite that.

  • Antonio Nusa - Club Brugge - 17 - £2.8m Value / £2,000 Wage - 68 OVR/ 88 POT

I usually hate using low stamina players, but Antonio Nusa's starting potential of +20 can't be ignored.

Despite a lowly 42 stamina, he has great pace, agility and dribbling to make an impact late in games while you focus on training him fast to improve his longevity as quickly as possible.

  • Cody Gakpo - PSV - 23 - £44.7m Value / £25,000 Wage - 83 OVR/ 87 POT - MOVED TO LIVERPOOL

One of the best players outside of Europe’s top five leagues - and allegedly on a plane bound for Leeds until Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal told him to get off if he wanted to go to the World Cup - Cody Gapko perfectly fits the modern inside forward role.

Fast and very technically gifted with strong finishing, he’s a great, but expensive, signing.

  • Noa Lang - Club Brugge - 23 - £24.1m Value / £23,000 Wage - 78 OVR/ 85 POT

All the buzz during the summer was around AC Milan’s capture of Charles De Ketelaere, but Noa Lang has long been linked with a host of top clubs.

Rapid and an elite dribbler, he can play anywhere across the forward line. He also has the Outside Foot Shot trait that allows you to easily biff it in from distance in FIFA 23.

  • Octavian Popescu - Steaua Bucarest - 19 - £3.8m Value / £6,000 Wage - 71 OVR/ 84 POT

A really good deal for the price. Popescu can play on either wing and has the requisite speed, stamina and dribbling ability but with a fee that suits most budgets.

Despite a slight downgrade, most of his key stats remain untouched - just now he's even cheaper.

  • Martin Terrier - Stade Rennais - 25 - £29.2m Value / £52,000 Wage - 81 OVR/ 84 POT

Another inside forward with Premier League-ready stats, Martin Terrier scored 21 goals in Ligue 1 for Stade Rennais last season and has 84 finishing this term to show for it.

It doesn't look like a fluke either. He's sporting a better than 1-in-2 record this term as well.

Expensive, but a realistic signing for many top clubs. He was hotly tipped to join West Ham, Leicester or Liverpool in the summer.

  • Christian Pulisic - Chelsea - 23 - £41.3m Value / £103,000 Wage - 82 OVR/ 88 POT

Despite his undeniable talent, Christian Pulisic has kind-of found himself surplus to requirements at Chelsea (at the start of the season at least) so it wouldn’t be out of the realms of possibility for a rich club to swoop in and take him - Newcastle perhaps?

It’s not all bluster though, he’s an explosive, elite dribbler with lots of potential to hone his end-product.

  • Rayan Cherki - Lyon - 18 - £6m Value / £16,000 Wage - 73 OVR/ 88 POT

One of the few natural 5-star weak foot, 5-star skill move players in FIFA 23 (others include Neymar and Ousmane Dembele no less), Rayan Cherki is a wizard on the ball and a lot of fun to play with.

  • Noni Madueke - PSV - 20 - £19.8m Value / £14,000 Wage - 77 OVR/ 86 POT - MOVED TO CHELSEA

He’s taken a hit to his potential in FIFA 23, but Noni Madueke is still an excellent signing for any team in Career Mode.

At such a young age, 90 pace and 85 dribbling make him a real handful to deal with.

  • Gustav Isaksen - FC Midtjylland - 21 - £3.1m Value / £10,000 Wage - 70 OVR/ 78 POT

For Road to Glory teams, dynamic potential is your friend with Gustav Isaksen. He’s cheap to pick up, but with amazing physical skills and stamina as well as decent dribbling, so hopefully he’ll outgrow his natural rating as you climb the leagues.

  • Brennan Johnson - Nottingham Forest - 21 - £10.8m Value / £37,000 Wage - 75 OVR/ 85 POT

Great performances throughout Forest’s promotion season put Brennan Johnson on the radars of top clubs everywhere.

He can play through the middle as well, but would take to the inside forward role perfectly.

  • Marcus Edwards - Sporting - 23 - £18.9m Value / £13,000 Wage - 78 OVR/ 84 POT

After leaving Spurs for Portugal, Marcus Edwards has been quietly growing and growing as a player until in FIFA 23 his attributes can’t be ignored.

Fast, agile and English, it’s only a matter of time before the Premier League comes knocking.

  • Ernest Poku - AZ Alkmaar - 18 - £1.1m Value / £1,000 Wage - 63 OVR/ 83 POT

Real cheap, real fast, lots of potential. What more do I need to say?

  • Jesper Karlsson - AZ Alkmaar - 23 - £18.1m Value / £11,000 Wage - 78 OVR/ 83 POT

I hadn’t heard of this guy before, but he looks really, really fun to use.

With mid-80s stats almost everywhere and 5-star skill moves, Jesper Karlsson looks like a tricky, agile fan-favourite in waiting.

Highest Overall Strikers and Wingers in FIFA 23

Highest Overall FIFA 23 Strikers and Wingers
Player Name: Age: Position(s): Team: Overall: Potential:
Kylian Mbappe 23 ST, LW PSG 91 95
Robert Lewandowski 33 ST Barcelona 91 91
Karim Benzema 34 ST Real Madrid 91 91
Lionel Messi 35 RW PSG 91 91
Mohamed Salah 30 RW Liverpool 90 90
Cristiano Ronaldo 37 ST, LW Manchester United 90 90
Harry Kane 28 ST Spurs 89 89
Son Heung-Min 29 LW Spurs 89 89
Neymar 30 LW PSG 89 89
Erling Haaland 21 ST Man City 89 94
Vinicius Jr 21 LW Real Madrid 86 92
Lautaro Martinez 24 ST Inter 86 90
Christopher Nkunku 24 ST, CF RB Leipzig 86 89
Riyad Mahrez 31 RW Man City 86 86
Raheem Sterling 27 LW, RW, ST Chelsea 86 86
Romelu Lukaku 29 ST Inter 86 86
Ciro Immobile 32 ST Lazio 86 86
Phil Foden 22 RW, LW, CF Man City 85 92
Diogo Jota 25 LW, ST Liverpool 85 89
Patrik Schick 26 ST Leverkusen 84 86
Jamie Vardy 35 ST Leicester 84 84
Gerard Moreno 30 ST, RW Villareal 85 85
Memphis Depay 28 LW, ST Barcelona 85 85
Iago Aspas 34 ST Celta Vigo 85 85
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 33 ST Chelsea 85 85
Dusan Vlahovic 22 ST Juventus 84 91
Joao Felix 22 ST Atletico Madrid 83 89
Rafael Leao 23 LW AC Milan 84 90
Federico Chiesa 24 LW Juventus 84 87
Kai Havertz 23 RW, ST Chelsea 84 91
Luis Diaz 25 LW Liverpool 84 87
Moussa Diaby 22 LW Leverkusen 84 88
Jadon Sancho 22 LW, RW Man United 84 88
Oyarzabal 25 LW, RW Real Sociedad 84 86
Domenico Berardi 27 RW Sassuolo 84 84
Cody Gakpo shielding the ball from Oumar Solet in FIFA 23
Cody Gakpo is an awesome inside forward in FIFA 23

Lower Overall High Potential Strikers and Wingers in FIFA 23

Lower Overall, High Potential Strikers and Wingers in FIFA 23
Player Name: Age: Position(s): Team: Overall: Starting Potential:
Ansu Fati 19 LW Barcelona 79 90
Rayan Cherki 18 LW, RW, ST Lyon 73 88
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia 21 LW Napoli 78 86
Antonio Nusa 17 LW, RW, ST Club Brugge 68 88
Charles De Ketelaere 21 LW, ST AC Milan 78 88
Ferran Torres 22 RW, LW, ST Barcelona 82 88
Rodrygo 21 RW Real Madrid 81 88
Youssoufa Moukoko 17 ST Dortmund 71 89
Yeremy Pino 19 RW, ST Villareal 79 88
Hamed Traore 22 LW Sassuolo 77 86
Adam Hlozek 19 LW, ST Leverkusen 76 86
Thiago Almada 21 LW, RW Atlanta United 76 87
Karim Adeyemi 20 ST Dortmund 75 87
Harvey Elliott 19 RW Liverpool 75 87
Joe Gelhardt 20 ST Leeds United 72 83
Amine Gouiri 22 ST Nice 79 86
Evanilson 22 ST Porto 78 85
Julian Alvarez 22 ST, LW, RW Man City 78 86
Noni Madueke 20 RW, ST PSV 77 86
Michael Olise 20 RW Crystal Palace 76 83
Matteo Cancellieri 19 RW, ST Lazio 73 86
Savio 18 RW PSV (Troyes) 70 86
Francisco Conceicao 19 RW Ajax 72 86
Luka Romero 17 RW Lazio 67 86
Kayky 19 RW Pacos de Ferreira (Man City) 66 86
Gonzalo Plata 21 RW Valladolid 77 86
Hugo Ekitike 20 ST PSG 76 85
Benjamin Sesko 19 ST RB Salzburg 72 85
Henrique Araujo 20 ST Benfica 71 85
Wilfried Gnonto 18 ST, RW Leeds United 69 85
Stipe Biuk 19 LW Hajduk Split 70 85
Marko Lazetic 18 ST AC Milan 65 85

Sign in and unlock a world of features

Get access to commenting, homepage personalisation, newsletters, and more!

In this article

FIFA 23

PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Related topics
About the Author
James Billcliffe avatar

James Billcliffe

Guides Editor

With 7 years' experience, James (he/him) suffers so you don't have to, creating expert guides for the toughest games and reviews for the biggest blockbuster releases. He has a Master's degree in Journalism and a BA in Linguistics that he never got a chance to flex until Wordle came along.

Comments