CanMNT: Best sarting XI based on FIFA 20 career mode potential

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PASADENA, CA – JUNE 15: Jonathan David #20 of Canada celebrates his goal during the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A match between Canada and Martinique at the Rose Bowl on June 15, 2019, in Pasadena, California. Canada won the match 4-0 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images) /

CM: Mark-Anthony Kaye

Age: 24

Starting Rating: 72

Potential: 77

Club: Los Angeles FC

Potential Player Comparisons: Fabian Delph (England/Everton), Oliver Norwood (Northern Ireland/Sheffield United), Alan Dzagoev (Russia/CSKA Moscow)

A player equally important to both LAFC’s MLS title ambitions and Canada’s resurgence, Mark-Anthony Kaye has played in just about every midfield role in his career so far. While at Louisville City FC in the USL Championship, he featured in more advanced roles. More recently, he has played as a box-to-box midfielder at the MLS level. Injuries have threatened to derail his career on a few occasions, but when healthy his qualities help Carlos Vela at club level and Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David at international level shine. Nearly every successful team has a midfield player that serves as the glue. Kaye certainly has what it takes to be that glue, especially for the CanMNT.

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CM: Stephen Eustaquio

Age: 22

Starting Rating: 72

Potential: 80

Club: Paços de Ferreira (on loan from Cruz Azul)

Potential Player Comparisons: Abdoulaye Doucoure (France/Watford), Granit Xhaka (Switzerland/Arsenal), Matias Vecino (Uruguay/Inter)

Though he has represented Portugal at the U21 level, Stephen Eustaquio made his CanMNT debut in November 2019 as a substitute for Mark-Anthony Kaye. He has worked his way up the Portuguese league ladder, and now that Liga NOS has resumed play, we will see if the less experienced of the two central midfielders in this lineup can continue to contribute at a decent level in one of the more underrated European leagues that produces quality players that get signed by bigger clubs.

CAM: Jonathan David

Age: 19

Starting Rating: 77

Potential: 88

Club: Gent

Potential Player Comparisons: Bruno Fernandes (Portugal/Manchester United), Marco Reus (Germany/Borussia Dortmund), Christian Eriksen (Denmark/Inter)

Winner of the 2019 Canadian Men’s Player of the Year, Jonathan David has scored 30 goals in 60 league games for KAA Gent. Not only is that club record impressive, 11 goals in 12 games for the CanMNT certainly earns him some goodwill in the national team set up as well — albeit nearly all of them have come against CONCACAF minnows, but you can only play the team in front of you. David has been linked with a vast array of top clubs around Europe, and if he makes that next step, there is reason to believe that he can grow into a truly world-class player. Whether he plays as an attacking midfielder or striker, David is a goal waiting to happen, and there are very few players like that in world football.

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