It’s natural to immediately think of world-class stars like Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane when trying to build a fantasy football squad. While they are great players to have in a team, they naturally don’t come cheap and can throw off the rest of the balance when on a budget.
A good, well-rounded, versatile team is something that can be worked with, without breaking the fantasy bank. Besides, selecting a player on the cheap, who goes out and defies all expectations to rack up valuable points, is a feel-good alternative approach.
With the European Championship odds in focus this summer, it is a great opportunity to scan the international scene for hidden gems. To that end, we have put together a stellar line-up for our FC 24 Squad Builder, consisting of players that could shine at Euro 2024.
Formation
First and foremost, the formation. We selected a nice standard 4-3-3 which is great for balance and leaves us only one quality striker to pull out of the hat for our Euro 2024 line-up.
Goalkeeper – Mike Maignan
It’s crucial to have a good goalkeeper. To that end, it’s AC Milan’s Mike Maignan who gets the nod at a reasonable 11,750 price. He was France’s main starter during the Euro 2024 qualifiers and should be ahead of Hugo Lloris at the tournament.
Left Back – Theo Hernandez
We wanted a player with a good attacking rate, and Theo Hernandez is a bargain at 4,600. The Frenchman, who, therefore, meshes well with Maignan, has great skill and physical ratings and would be a good supply line down the left flank.
Right Back – Denzel Dumfries
The Netherlands right wing back Denzel Dumfries fits the bill nicely for just 700 on the right flank. He’s got decent pace and strong defensive and physical ratings. So he’ll slot nicely in.
Centre Back – Matthijs De Ligt
Netherlands intentional Matthijs De Light is a good pick in the centre-back position. He also brings a bit of chemistry on the right with fellow countryman Dumfries and is still considered one of the best defenders in the world and is therefore a bargain at 9,200.
Centre Back – Federico Dimarco
It’s hard to pass up Italian defenders. Inter Milan’s Federico Dimarco will slot into the back line and he has top stamina and overall defensive positioning. We also like that he is an explosive player who can carry the ball out of defence for a snap at 750.
Central Midfield – Leon Goretzka
At the heart of midfield is German international Leon Goretzka, who brings a fantastic blend of defensive and attacking quality to the table. He’s a proven performer and can’t be overlooked for just 4,800.
Central Midfield – Kobbie Mainoo
Young England star Kobbie Mainoo got his first look at the international stage this year. He could easily walk into the Three Lions starting eleven at the Euros. He’s a talented youngster well ahead of his years and is a huge bargain with a high ceiling of potential at just 7,800.
Central Midfield – Jamal Musiala
Another German player in the middle is Jamal Musiala who brings a high hit of chemistry to the table with a high rating at only 8,700. The young Bayern Munich player has fantastic attacking qualities and brings a nice attacking balance to the midfield.
Left Wing – Kingsley Coman
France right-winger Kingsley Coman is another great chemistry boost for the line-up at adjusted 22,000. He falls under the shadow of Kylian Mbappé of course for France, but in his own right, the Bayern Munich player is full of running with pace, acceleration and vision.
Right Wing – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
We can throw Khvicha Kvaratskhelia onto the right wing, for a snap because he is a right-footed player, but utilised on the left sometimes as an inside forward. Kvaratskhelia is the star of the Georgia international side, who are making their debut at the Euros in the summer. A top performer in Serie A for Napoli, he brings good positioning and finishing from wide and only costs 8,000 with huge chemistry.
Centre Forward – Patrik Schick
For 900 Patrik Schick had to be selected as our cheap centre forward. Part of Bayer Leverkusen’s impressive 2023/24 Bundesliga winning side, the Czech Republic star will be on show at Euro 2024 as well. Schick was the joint top-scorer alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in the last edition, which is impressive coming from a lower-ranked international side.
Conclusions
This is an exercise in bargain shopping, creating a starting eleven of players that could have a big influence at Euro 2024. So some big-name players had to be overlooked, but we ended on a good 28/33 chemistry rating nonetheless.
There is still a lot of quality running through the squad, and while there’s obvious room for improvement, it’s not a side you’d be unhappy to see lining up for a match in real life.
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