The next stop on our journey through our favourite wonderkids is Spain, a prolific producer of world-class talent.
We have made the conscious choice to leave some now-established players, such as Barcelona duo Lamine Yamal, as he is now far beyond a wonderkid, and probably deserves an article of his own. So, with further ado, here are our favourite Spanish wonderkids:
Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid)
The young centre-back has enjoyed a meteoric rise in recent years, from Juventus reserves a few seasons ago to a big-money move to Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer of 2025 after impressing in his solitary season in the Premier League with Bournemouth.
His displays in the English top flight have established him as one of the brightest young defenders the game has to offer. He has also made a promising start to his career in the Spanish capital.
The 20-year-old’s promise and talent are reflected in his FM stats. His highest attributes are 17 in composure and jumping reach, but he also has solid all-around stats in the other crucial areas of his game.
For instance, he has a 15 rating for passing and heading, and a 14 rating for technique, tackling, and marking. As you would expect from one of the hottest young defensive talents, he becomes one of the best players in the world in his position.
Unsurprisingly, Real Madrid are not keen to sell their prized asset in the opening transfer window, demanding a fee of around £145m, including add-ons, in the first campaign. In my latest personal save, which is ten years in the future, even then, Los Blancos are still asking for a fee of around £200m for the talented young defender.
Unless you are managing Real Madrid, it’s hard to sign Huijsen. If you do manage to sign him, then you have pulled off a coup.
Marc Bernal (Barcelona)
The midfielder is yet another youngster off the seemingly never-ending conveyor belt of talent coming out of Barcelona’s famous academy, La Masia. The 18-year-old was part of the Blaugrana’s first-team squad last season and has been a fringe player during the current campaign, having recently scored his first senior goal for the Catalan giants.
He looks set for a bright future in the game. His starting stats on FM show a young player well-equipped to become a star. The fact that his passing, technique, first touch and determination are all +14 illustrates his quality, with many other stats matching that figure.
Bernal is available on loan during the opening transfer window, but his wages and the fee Barcelona is asking for are relatively steep. If you wish to sign him on a permanent deal in the opening window, you will likely have to pay around £40m, plus sell-on fees, which is slightly expensive for a player at his stage of development.
He can be bought for a lesser fee a few years into the game. However, there is a caveat with Bernal. The youngster doesn’t always realise his potential in the game, regardless. The Spaniard is a player who needs the right game time and training to succeed. If he doesn’t get it, he will still be a good player, but will never become world-class.
Ajejandro Balde (Barcelona)
Balde has been an established member of the Barcelona squad for a few seasons now. For the last few editions of FM, the marauding left-back has been one of my favourite Spanish players.
It all started when he was just a youngster, and he broke into the Blaugrana first team. This was when you could have signed him on loan. Those were the days. Now 22, his first-team status in the Barcelona squad is assured.
His starting stats are certainly promising. The fact that his highest stats are acceleration, agility, and pace, which are 17, highlights his talents as a speed merchant who can offer a blistering threat from his left-back position.
Balde also has strong stats in technique, passing, first touch, and work rate, among several other promising ratings. In most saves, he becomes one of the best full-backs in the game, and his stats improve accordingly.
One issue with Balde is that Barcelona is reluctant to sell him. In fact, in a few of my saves, he stays with the Blaugrana for much of his career. The Spanish champions’ reluctance to sell means they will demand around £95m for Balde in the first transfer window, plus a high sell-on fee.
Even later in the game, the Blaugrana are still reluctant to sell, so I often have to admire Balde from afar on FM26. You may have the same experience.
Gavi (Barcelona)
This may seem like I am biased towards Barcelona, but the fact that three of the players on our list came through the Catalan club’s youth system just shows that its youth system is still producing top young players.
Without a doubt, Gavi is one of the best young midfielders of his generation. Without injuries and burnout, he would have already been one of the biggest stars in the Barcelona first team.
Despite injury issues that have hampered his development, his stats on FM26 remain highly promising. Gavi has +16 stats in work rate, teamwork, off the ball, determination, bravery, and aggression. That’s just the start of his excellent stats.
Gavi generally fulfils his potential, and it is often hard to find a better midfielder in the game. His stats often place him among the best players across all positions, not just midfielders.
The midfielder is not easy to sign, as the Blaugrana are once again highly reluctant to sell one of their best and most promising players. If you try to sign the midfielder in the first transfer window, he will cost around £96m.
Even if you try to sign him ten years down the road, the midfielder will cost an initial fee of around £130m plus add-ons.
Cristhian Mosquera (Arsenal)
You may think, thank goodness, the end of the Barcelona love-in. Yes, this time we are talking about a young player who made his name with Valencia before making a big move to Premier League leaders Arsenal in the summer of 2025.
Despite the presence of the club’s undoubted first-choice partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel, the 21-year-old has still made enough appearances to show his quality in north London.
Mosquera’s starting stats are a sign of things to come, as his attributes are strong for a young player. He has +16 ratings in tackling, pace and natural fitness, which are obviously good attributes to have as a defender. The versatile defender improves with experience and becomes a top-class performer.
The defender can cost £45m + plus add-ons. However, at that price, he may not be a bad investment, as he will give you more than a decade of service. If you have a decent transfer kitty, then signing Mosquera in the opening window would likely be a shrewd move.
Who are your favourite Spanish wonderkids on FM26?
