FIFA 23 FUTURE STARS MUDRYK PLAYER REVIEW

We have come full circle to that time of the year again, where the speculation on the futures of the brightest young talents shines on the FIFA cycle.  In truth, there are not many promos I enjoy more than Future Stars and the fact that some of my favorite FIFA cards of all time (insert FIFA 22 Jude Bellingham) have dropped in these squads certainly helps. It is actually impressive how many of the previous Future Stars in past FIFA editions have come good and earned their hype. This year's class of youngsters look poised to follow in their predecessor's footsteps, as a rather nice collection of cards was dropped this Friday.

After the whirlwind of constant reviews during TOTY we returned to a more familiar selection process this weekend, as our poll over on Twitter offered some of the more interesting options for possible review.  But in truth, the poll was over within minutes as Mykhailo Mudryk was clearly running away with the top spot.

The Ukrainian's arrival at Chelsea (along with every other available talent in the January window) has definitely caused some hype and his inclusion in this promo was all but guaranteed.  But what type of card would give him?  The answer… insane.  

Playing off the right attacking side in the 4-3-2-1, I applied the FINISHER chemistry style to Mudryk despite the popularity of the HAWK, MARKSMAN (which would be my second choice), & ENGINE.  After only a few matches it was clear that I would not be changing my selection, which complemented this card perfectly across the 10 matches.  

Overall 

As far as wingers go, there are not many I would consider over Mudryk from an attacking standpoint.  9 goals and 5 assists are numbers that a central striker would be proud of… and the Chelsea speedster did this all from the wing.

There is a quality on the ball about this card that gives you a sense of confidence that you don’t find in every player.  90 Jairzinho, who is largely owned by the masses, is a comparable style of card from a dribbling standpoint and gives you an idea on Mudryk’s level.  But having utilized Jairzinho for quite a few matches at this point, I am taking Mudryk on the wing over the Brazilian every day of the week.

Main Statistics – Shooting

Shooting Rating: 9/10

Weak Foot: ★★★★

Traits: Finesse Shot

The Shooting is not the highest set of statistics with this card, nor is it the most deadly … but it is the area that could have destroyed this card in comparison to other wingers… and instead it elevated Mudryk beyond a lot of his direct competitors.

The FINISHER trait was key to this success and the 99 FINISHING & 92 SHOT POWER take a lot of the credit for this success.  But there were other tools in the locker that produced a rather well-rounded finisher in the end.

The FINESSE SHOT Trait was a big one here and worked a charm when combined with green-timed finishes.  On one occasion Mudryk even found the net, on his left foot, from distance, on a red-timed finish.  In general, he simply found ways to add to his goal total in almost every match. 

Maybe even more impressive is the 98 POSITIONING and the areas of the pitch where Mudryk found himself… carrying out the formation instructions with flawless efficiency.

Value/Coins

Value/Coins Rating: 5/5

The comparison between this card and 91 Pele is a good place to start and puts into perspective just how crazy the statistics are on this card.  Mudryk can’t quite match all of the in game statistics that come with the Samba Star… but he is eerily close and similar in terms of size, build, weak foot, skills and traits. 

1.7 million for this card feels like a hangover from TOTY where clubs are drained and the price has been brought down by a complete lack of coins.  However, I suppose this has the potential to right itself as the amount Mudryk’s packed should be low after everyone sent it all trying for TOTY cards.

Good vs. Bad 

Good vs Bad Rating: 5/5

When you get compared to a version of Pele there is bound to be a lot right…

+ Adding pace to this card is just unnecessary.  The EXPLOSIVE AcceleRATE, 95 ACCELERATION & 93 SPRINT SPEED are fantastic in game.  The initial burst made successful dribbles even more dangerous, while the sustained speed meant very few defenders could even get close.

+ 99 AGILITY, 89 BALANCE & 99 DRIBBLING on a 175cm | 5’9 card with a lean body type… throw in the FLAIR Trait for good measure and Mudryk was sliding around the pitch like MC Hammer in the 90’s

+ There was a slight concern going into this review that the pace and dribbling would get the job done in wide areas, but the passing could be a let down.  This concern was squashed immediately and the 94 VISION & 84 LONG PASSING held up just fine… while the 86 SHORT PASSING had a quality that simply picked defenses apart.

Not all was perfect in paradise and some small issues did arise.  It was clear after two matches as a striker that Murdryk was simply made for the wing… and both negatives stem from the fact that the wide areas demand certain attributes and responsibilities.

- The 89 STAMINA is the first let down, which is a bit crazy considering it is quite high.  However, there were numerous matches where Mudryk’s sharpness and pace was dulled by the final minutes.  These are obviously the times when performance is most needed and was a small complaint throughout.

- The last issue is more for those playing formations that require the widemen to be defensively responsible.  For me this was an issue, especially against opponents bringing wingbacks into the attack.  The HIGH | MED work rates meant that Mudryk was not really interested in tracking his man… while the 61 STRENGTH and laughable defensive statistics meant that he wasn’t much help even when he tried.

Closing Words

Fun continues to be a key word for reviews that go well and Mudryk is no different.  I mentioned the confidence to dribble and even had me trying out a few skills (which is certainly not my style).

I do think it is the Shooting that truly sets this card into the upper tier of current available options.  The quality on the left foot and potency on the right were a perfect match for adding goals from wide areas of the pitch.

If you play a formation with wide midfielders and don’t mind a bit of vulnerability defensively, this card could be the one to unlock the next step for your squad.  The pace is simply too much to handle, the dribbling sublime, the passing inch-perfect and resulted in quite a bit of saved time this weekend… My opponents simply not willing to watch this Future Star step into the limelight on their watch.

Hoping you are well.  Cheers for reading.