September 27, 2022, saw EA Sports release FIFA 23 into the wild. The latest FIFA title marks the end of an era, with it being the final game bearing the FIFA name before switching to EA Sports FC next year. FIFA 23 has many new features, but it is the ever-popular FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) that remains the same. Players from all corners of the globe flock to FUT, hoping to build an epic team that the best betting sites online would peg as clear favorites in every game they played.

Picking Your Starter Country

Picking your starter nation is the first port of call for any FUT fan, and it is worthwhile considering your options. France is a fantastic choice to get up and running. Not only does Ligue 1 have some incredibly talented players, but French players also play in a variety of leagues, making building a varied team easier, in addition to helping you during Squad Building Challenges (SBC).

Brazil is another starting country to consider. The Brazilian domestic league is not as strong as others, but you find Brazilian players dotted around dozens of the top leagues in Europe. Furthermore, do not write of England as your FIFA 23 FUT starting nation. Prepare to pay a slight premium on players because the English Premier League is the most watched and most popular globally, but that is offset by there being some superb players that are available cheaply if you know where to look.

What Formation Will You Play in FUT?

It is essential to plan ahead when choosing your team’s formation. There are always meta formations, but they often limit you to the players you can acquire. Instead, think about how you want to play and the players you dream of owning in your squad.

The tried and tested 4-4-2 is a good starter formation. It is balanced but lacks a CAM player, although you can instruct one of your CM players to get forward and support attacks. Consider 4-3-3 if you are more attack-minded and like to play with wingers. This formation uses a LW and RW in addition to a single ST. Having fast, skillful wingers is key to success with 4-3-3, as is having a midfield trio that are good all-rounders.

Other formations to consider are 4-2-3-1, 4-1-2-1-2, and 5-1-2-2; although the latter requires two pacey wingbacks with bags of stamina to be effective, otherwise, your team ends up with zero width.

Dream of Owning Superstars But Look For Bargains

Every FUT player dreams of owning the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Kevin De Bruyne, but these elite-level players do not come cheap. Haaland, for example, is selling for close to two million coins, and coins are not easy to come by, even if you grind for hours on end.

Searching for lesser-known players or those that play for so-called smaller clubs can often unearth bargains. For example, Luis Sinisterra of Leeds United in the Premier League sells for around 900 coins, despite being an 80-rated left winger with 89 pace and 85 dribbling. Also from the Premier League, Arsenal’s Ben White is a 79-rated CB with 70 pace, 81 defending, including 82 defensive awareness. White is available for 500 coins, affordable even in the early stages of your FUT career, and will vastly improve your starting squad.

Bargains lay in wait outside the Premier League, too. Victor Osimhen plays for Napoli in Serie A. He only costs 1,000 despite being an 83-rated ST with 90 pace, 78 dribbling, and 82 shooting.

Remember that although EA Sports have made pure pace less important this year, it still plays a vital role. It is often better to choose a lesser-rated player that is fast than a higher-rated player with a lower top speed and acceleration. Watch any of the top FIFA 23 FUT players, and they all have a team where most players, particularly full-backs and wingers, have blistering pace.