Every year, the stats gurus and the game-developing oracles at EA Sports pit their wits together and decide on the stats for the best players in the game. Now, call me a conspiracy theorist, but over the years, I’ve noticed that it certainly helps your rating if you find yourself on the cover of the game and hand over your exclusive image rights to be on the front.
Since the beginning of this decade, the strikers who have adorned the cover of the game and become the face of that year’s instalment are a who’s who of the world’s best. Mbappe and Haaland have shared this honour, with the Frenchman appearing on multiple covers. It won’t be a shock to you that both of these strikers feature in our discussion today, but as somebody who has spent the last few months with their head buried in FC 26, playing online as well as offline modes, who is the best striker pound-for-pound? Let’s take a look.
Monitoring The Underlying Elements
FC 26 has been a lot sharper on the ball than other instalments of the game, it feels as though every week that players are rising and falling because of their live ratings, and while it can be great if you enjoy playing as an in-form team, it can be detrimental if you are looking to find out who the best striker on the game is.
Many video games have their own underlying elements which give them a unique market. While FC 26 is not the most popular esport out there, there is a strong, established and dedicated fanbase that ensure the top tournaments can often receive substantial prizes.
We’ve seen how markets and other subdivisions have been able to create a wave of new customers in other esports such as Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) and how they fuel and maximize their market interest by fusing it with betting markets.
There are similarities between CS2 betting and other pro sports, and while FC 26 might not command the same level of audience or intrigue in the betting markets as CS2 does, it is only when we monitor the underlying elements of a game that we get a true idea of how popular it is from a collective viewpoint.
Social media plays a significant role, too. This includes companies using holiday-themed ideas, as you can see in the link below, and some of the biggest gaming influencers sitting around and opening FUT packs. Places like YouTube are where a lot of the underlying esports potential lies.
The Big Three
Any conversation around the best striker on FC 26 revolves around three main names: Haaland, Mbappe, and Kane. For some people, Mbappe is streets ahead of the other two, and while it can be infuriating when you’re playing against a Madrid or France online, and somebody manages to find that extra yard or two that Kylian can burst into, speed is not the only deciding factor when it comes to deciding who the best striker is.
Voting for FC 26 Team Of The Year raises a whole host of questions, such as which strikers have the best shot, strength, passing, link-up play, and speed.
Mbappe definitely finds himself streets ahead in terms of speed and agility, but when it comes to Haaland, who continues to smash records in the EPL, he is the go-to striker if you want somebody who combines freakish, superhuman strength with the ability to find the corner from anywhere within the 18-yard box.
The most underrated of the three, and someone who definitely could be number one, is Harry Kane. Maybe the people I have played online with are simply miles ahead of me in terms of ability, but out of all the top strikers, nobody can find the net from outside the area in the way Kane can, and he’s not too bad from inside the box, either. It’s not a surprise that he has been linked with a big-money move to Barcelona at some point in 2026, and while he looks settled for now, if he continues posting the numbers he has been, then a move to the Spanish giants could be inevitable.
Different Strikers For Different Strategies
Aside from maybe Dembele and Lewandowski, it’s no surprise that the contest for the best striker on FC 26 is basically a straight shootout between the three best strikers in the world. If you are somebody who plays on the counter, then Mbappe will be the best bet. If you prefer to play with a powerhouse upfront, then Haaland is going to outmuscle any defender out there.
If you prefer to try your luck from distance, and have a striker that drops back and can pass the ball, then Kane is the choice. Personally? I actually think Kane is the best because he is also brilliant at free kicks, and what he lacks in speed, he makes up for in shot accuracy.