FIFA 23 Career Mode: Top 20 teams to manage
By Tom Gott
It's time to start a new Career Mode on FIFA 23.
There are so many options to select from all across the globe, but if you need a little help making your decision, you're in the right place.
Here are 20 teams to consider managing on FIFA 23 Career Mode.
1. Malaga CF
Malaga only just made it into FIFA 23. They were two points away from relegation from the Spanish second tier, where they continue to struggle this season.
The quarter-finalists of the 2012/13 Champions League have endured a real fall from grace over the past decade and are crying out for somebody to help bring them back to life.
Their problems have stemmed from major financial woes, so you might not have a lot of money to fix things early on. You have been warned.
2. Athletic Club
Athletic Club's cantera policy - only signing players from the Basque region - is not enforced in FIFA 23, but that doesn't mean you can't play by the rule yourself.
The challenge is simple. You are only permitted to sign players from your local region, meaning you may have to rely on your youth academy to bring through some top new talents.
You can actually play with this rule with any team on the game, but Athletic present you with a squad which is already playing by the rules.
3. Union Berlin
Now mainstays in the Bundesliga, Union Berlin are making waves and trying to create a league title fairytale on the real pitch.
Can you do the same in FIFA 23?
Their squad can't match up to most of Germany's heavy hitters, but that isn't stopping them in real life and it can't slow you down here either.
4. Barcelona
Barcelona's Camp Nou is once again licensed for FIFA 23, which should be enough reason to take control.
However, the fact that the Blaugrana are in the midst of a major rebuild only whets the appetite even further.
With a fascinating mixture of senior experience and some of the most exciting young players on the planet, there are so many different ways to take this Barcelona side - as long as you don't steer away from the 4-3-3.
5. Portsmouth
On the subject of stadiums, Portsmouth are the lowest ranked side in the game with an official ground.
The League One side have battled financial issues which have seen them tumble down the football pyramid, but you can be the one to bring them back to the top.
With famous streets-will-never-forget players like Benjani, Yakubu, Kevin Prince-Boateng and a whole lot more in their recent history, it's time to usher in another iconic era at Pompey.
6. Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest have just signed 1,000 new players who you won't be able to sell during your first transfer window. You'll have no choice but to flex your tactical muscles to figure out a way to make this team work.
With only two 80-rated cards at the beginning of the game's cycle, Forest are set up for a real battle to survive in the Premier League.
Once the best team in Europe, Forest have a lot of work to do to get back there and you'll have to be patient to pull it off.
7. Saint-Etienne
PSG won their tenth Ligue 1 title last season, tying the record held by Saint-Etienne, and the Parisians are obvious favourites to take the honour for their own this year.
Unfortunately, Saint-Etienne can't stop them as they were relegated to the second tier last year, meaning their record will likely be gone by the time they get back to the top flight.
Why not go get it back?
8. Newcastle United
Let's be real, this is the one you're looking forward to.
Newcastle will present you with the ultimate rebuild. You've got crazy money available and a squad which, apart from a handful of players, isn't exactly built for immediate success.
With your near-unlimited finances, it's time to go build a superteam.
9. Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors are one of the most successful teams in the history of the Argentinian league, but crucially, they're not the most successful.
River Plate have secured domestic glory 37 times, including last season, whereas Boca have 34 titles to their name.
The squad is obviously good enough to keep adding to that, so go out and build a new reign of terror in Argentinian football.
10. Monza
Monza marked their 100-year anniversary by securing their first-ever promotion to Serie A...and they're odds-on favourites to go straight back down.
A lot of loans were sealed in the summer to try and bolster their squad, but there is still so much more room for this team to grow.
On the real pitch, Monza beat Juventus 1-0 in September 2022, so your challenge is to go out and better that result.
11. FC Andorra
Up in the Spanish second tier for the first time ever, the team owned by Barcelona's Gerard Pique are doing pretty well for themselves.
Now 35 years old, Pique's time at the highest level is coming to an end, meaning clock is ticking on the chance to face your own boss on the pitch.
You can't afford to spend too long kicking around in the second tier if you want to come face-to-face with Pique, so you better get to work.
12. Paris FC
Paris Saint-Germain aren't the only team from the French capital.
Paris FC just finished fourth in Ligue 2 and need some work doing to them before they can be promoted to the top flight, where they'll butt heads with one of Europe's most dominant teams.
Winning the battle for Paris isn't going to be easy.
13. Manchester United
We probably don't need to explain what is going on at Manchester United. Erik ten Hag has steadied the ship after a few really disappointing years but this rebuild still has a long way to go.
United need their fringe players selling and some young, exciting superstars brought in to replace them. Fortunately, you'll have the budget to do exactly that.
The thing with United, however, is that winning the title isn't enough. The expectation is that you will dominate Europe. No pressure.
14. 1.FC Kaiserslautern
Four-time Bundesliga winners Kaiserslautern have just been promoted back to the German second tier, setting up a real 'Fallen Giants' storyline.
It's not going to be easy restoring this team back to their best. Their key players are almost all approaching the latter stages of their careers, so a full rebuild is on the cards.
If you've got time and patience, Kaiserslautern could be your team.
15. Casa Pia AC
Another first-time top-flighter, Casa Pia are loving life over in Portugal.
What makes Casa Pia so fascinating is the club's links to a local children's charity by the same name, from which many of its players have come through in the past.
Clearly, you can't exactly replicate that in FIFA 23, but focus on your youth development and take inspiration from the most heartwarming story in European football.
16. Charlotte FC
Major League Soccer's newest expansion side are in FIFA 23.
With Charlotte, it's not even a rebuild at this point. It's just straight build. This is a team still in its infancy working their way from the ground up. The floor is all yours.
With former Leicester man Christian Fuchs wearing the armband, you've got a man who knows a thing or two about exceeding expectations.
17. Lyon
It wasn't too long ago that Lyon were the dominant force of French football. They won seven straight Ligue 1 titles between 2002 and 2009 but haven't been seen at the top of the table since.
Lyon are still one of France's better sides and there's a fun narrative surrounding them this season following the returns of Corentin Tolisso and Alexandre Lacazette.
There are some top names in the squad and a handful of intriguing youngsters, providing you all the tools you might need to wrestle back control of Ligue 1.
18. Red Bull Salzburg
Perhaps the greatest talent factory around right now, there are a few different ways to go about a Red Bull Salzburg save.
You can try and keep your young talents, including the likes of Nicolas Seiwald, Luka Sucic and Noah Okafor, and try to beat the very clubs who will continue to try and raid you for talent.
Or, you can sell those players and use the money to invest in more young gems, ensuring the Red Bull conveyor belt never stops churning out superstars. Can you find the next Erling Haaland?
19. Como
There's something fascinating going on at Como.
The Serie B side have Dennis Wise as president and are now part-owned by Cesc Fabregas, who joined the club as a player during the summer.
There are clearly some ambitions plans on the table here, but the project is just getting started.
20. Juventus
Finally, let's all say a nice welcome back to Juventus.
Fully licensed once again, Juve return to the game in a real crisis. Financial problems and poor performances have seen them lose their throne in Italian football and they are in desperate need of someone with fresh ideas.
You better hurry, because Juve's squad is getting on in years. The rebuild needs to move into hyperdrive.
