From Mbappe to Barco: what happened to FIFA 17's top talents?

In September 2016, FIFA 17 hit the shelves, featuring Marco Reus on the cover, as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ruled the game, while Kylian Mbappe was on the brink of becoming a worldwide icon.

Fast forward ten years, and the landscape for these once-celebrated young talents is a mixed bag. Some have exceeded the high expectations set by the game developers, while others have enjoyed decent careers without hitting the heights, and a few appear to have fallen off the radar entirely.

Here’s a look at how the symbolic starting eleven of the best FIFA 17 talents under 19 years old has fared:

1. Gianluigi Donnarumma – Goalkeeper. FIFA accurately forecasted his future, rating him with a potential of 92. Donnarumma has played over 250 matches for AC Milan, secured four Ligue 1 titles with PSG, lifted the Champions League and won Euro 2020 with Italy. Now 27, he’s making waves at Manchester City.
2. Timothy Fosu-Mensah – Right-back. A different story entirely. After being nurtured by Louis van Gaal at Manchester United, his career faltered post-Van Gaal. Loans at Crystal Palace and Fulham didn’t salvage his trajectory, and following a serious knee injury at Bayer, he struggled for minutes. He left the German club in the summer of 2024 and is currently without a team.
3. Malang Sarr – Centre-back. Sarr left Nice for Chelsea in 2020 but couldn’t cement his place in London. After several loan spells, he rejuvenated his career in Ligue 1 with Lens, helping his side challenge PSG for the title and reach the Champions League before making a move to Saudi Arabia's Neom.
4. Matthijs de Ligt – Centre-back. By 19, de Ligt was Ajax's captain and steered them to the Champions League semi-finals. His career has garnered league titles in three different countries, including stints at Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United. Though plagued by injuries, he remains a highly regarded defender.
5. Theo Hernandez – Left-back. A product of Atletico Madrid’s academy, he made a name for himself at Alaves before joining Real Madrid, where he struggled to break through. His best days came at AC Milan, where he helped secure the Serie A title in the 2021/22 season before moving to Al-Hilal.
6. Youri Tielemans – Central Midfielder. At the FIFA 17 launch, Tielemans had already racked up over 100 appearances for Anderlecht at just 19. Over the next decade, he bagged a World Cup bronze with Belgium, an FA Cup with Leicester, and the Europa League with Aston Villa. Now 29, he’s plying his trade at Manchester United.
7. Ezequiel Barco – Central Midfielder. Unfortunately, Barco hasn't transitioned into the global superstar predicted. Atlanta United shelled out a record MLS fee of $15 million in 2018. After lifting the MLS Cup, he returned to Argentina to win the title with River Plate. Currently, he plays for Spartak Moscow, having won the Russian Cup last season.
8. Gabriel Jesus – Right Winger. By the time FIFA 17 was released, Manchester City had already secured a deal for the promising Brazilian from Palmeiras. During his time in England, he won five league titles, albeit with limited starts. After a stint at Arsenal, injuries hindered his progress, and he’s now at Barcelona under Hansi Flick, where he mainly contributes off the bench.
9. Ousmane Dembele – Attacking Midfielder. The only Ballon d’Or winner in this lineup, FIFA pegged Dembele with a 91 potential rating. Barcelona splurged £135.5 million for him shortly after the game’s release. Though hampered by injuries in Catalonia, he finally unlocked his potential at PSG and secured the prestigious individual award.
10. Marcus Rashford – Left Winger. FIFA 17 arrived just months after Rashford burst onto the scene at Manchester United. His career hasn’t followed the expected linear trajectory; highs and lows have defined his journey, and after a club exit, he’s now working his way back into the fold at United.
11. Kylian Mbappe – Striker. The standout prodigy of his generation has fully realised his potential. A World Cup champion, he holds the record for goals in World Cup history and boasts over 400 career strikes. Yet, the coveted Champions League and Ballon d’Or still elude him, so even after a decade since FIFA 17, there are still trophies to be claimed.

Of the eleven players featured, only a select few have reached the heights predicted back in 2016. FIFA got it right regarding the name that mattered the most: the 17-year-old Mbappe has truly become the player of a generation.