It’s that time of the year again, EA has released the TOTY Starters for FIFA Mobile 21 and you can now get your hands on some of the players that played at their best throughout the course of 2020. These players were all voted for by the FIFA community itself, so if you picked some of these players in your desired XI, these are some of the cards you’ll be earning. Since the cards are all auctionable immediately post-release, you can save your coins and grab your favorite player from the market too! This review will look at each of the TOTY Starters in FIFA Mobile 21 and review their playstyles to show how you can get the most out of them in-game. We have carefully reviewed and analyzed their playstyles to assist you in figuring out how we can get the best out of them in-game.
FIFA Mobile 21 TOTY Starters: Forwards
Robert Lewandowski (ST)
- Requirement: 200 TOTY Attacker Points
- Skill Boost: Shooting
Overview
The top-performing Bayern Munich hitman was arguably at his best in 2020, guiding his team towards the treble with a whole bunch of goals. He gets his deserved card at the frontline of the TOTY attack.
VSA
Shooting-wise, no issues at all. The stats really do speak for themselves, that 115 overall shooting is insane. Shoot from anywhere and they are likely to go in especially the bullet-like power shots. He does feel a little stiff whilst dribbling though, his strong physical build does help fend off most defenders, but getting crowded is not ideal. Try to take the shot as soon as possible with this card.
H2H
Like in VSA, Lewandowski’s shots are simply too good. However, finding space for a shot can be a little difficult considering Lewandowski’s slow movement and the common pressing tactic most H2H players use. This leads to him losing the ball a lot before making space to take the shot. Therefore, it is a good idea to play this card along with a more agile second striker or CAM who can basically put it on a plate for Lewandowski to finish. Someone like a Player of the Month (POTM) Bruno Fernandes will work perfectly in this role.
Cristiano Ronaldo (ST)
- Requirement: 200 TOTY Attacker Points
- Skill Boost: Target Man
Overview
The Portuguese legend has made his way into the FIFA TOTY once more, after tallying high numbers in the Serie A last year. Many CR7 fans will be pleased to see their favorite player being rewarded with the highest value available for a TOTY player, or they may be slightly disappointed at the cost required to claim the Juventus (or Piemonte Calcio) man.
VSA
This card feels quite similar to Lewandowski shooting wise, he can essentially score all over the pitch. Unlike Lewandowski though, this man can drive his way through defence. Due to his height, he does feel a little clunky, but he does manage to dribble and turn quite well. Overall, this card is quite well-built for VSA.
H2H
Although he is still quite good in VSA, he is much better in H2H. As the skill boost suggests, this is a fantastic target man. He has the pace to beat defenders from through balls and the ability to finish off passes very well. Like with Lewandowski, you may want a more agile baller since although CR7 can dribble well, it just doesn’t feel right due to his height. Know this that his TOTY card is a massive massive upgrade from his Freeze LW version
Kylian Mbappe (ST)
- Requirement: 175 TOTY Attacker Points
- Skill Boost: Finishing
Overview
We all expected a Lionel Messi here, but instead we got Mbappe. The Frenchman may not have a great year as Messi, was still voted for more by the community. He is easier to obtain than the other strikers, so if you do like what you see from him, you won’t have as much of a hard time trying to get him.
VSA
This was by far, the most fun card to use in VSA. Everything about him is just smooth and quick. You can see him drifting past defenders with ease and the end product, although not as powerful as the other 2 strikers, is still commendable. You could argue that he is a little weak according to the stats, but he can slip through quite easily so you don’t need to worry about that.
H2H
In H2H, you’ll be able to take full advantage of Mbappe’s pace, he is lightning quick, which is just what you need in H2H. If you’re someone who likes to play around and do some fancy skills and dribbles, Mbappe is perfect for you. He is a little short though, which completely goes against the heading meta so far in H2H. But as said earlier, if you’re looking to spend some time having fun, Mbappe is brilliant for that.
FIFA Mobile 21 TOTY Starters: Midfielders
Bruno Fernandes (95)
- Requirement: 175 TOTY Midfielder Points
- Skill Boost: Ball Control
Overview
The Portuguese playmaker had an instant impact when he joined Manchester United, he is now regarded as one of the best performers throughout the course of 2020. On top of that, he has been rewarded with the highest overall available to the TOTY midfielders. Here’s how he performed in his actual FM gameplay.
VSA
Bruno’s long shots are powerful, accurate, and almost flawless. His movement is also pretty fluid as well, so you can rely on him to make room for himself to take the shot. Another big advantage to using Bruno is his passing. Sometimes in VSA, you might need to make a quick pass to allow another player to go through on goal. Bruno is brilliant at picking out those passes so you can definitely rely on him.
H2H
If you’re one of those players who need to have a playmaker in the center of the pitch to conjure up the attacks, Bruno would be perfect for you. He is an all-rounder with his passing and his shooting all making him a strong offensive CAM. It’s useful to have a fast attacker that can run onto Bruno’s through balls. Other than that, he should be able to carry your team forward very well.
Kevin De Bruyne (94)
- Requirement: 150 TOTY Midfielder Points
- Skill Boost: Long Shots
Overview
The Belgian was out injured for a while during the start of the 2020/21 campaign which hindered his impact. He still deserves a place in the TOTY for his stellar performances during the first half of 2020. He might not be the best midfielder rating wise, but he still has a fantastic card.
VSA
KDB is one of those players that doesn’t dribble much, but the end product is amazing. His shots are great and his close control is also very good. However, his passing is the key aspect. You might think that in VSA, passing doesn’t really matter. But De Bruyne’s passes are pin-point, this would allow you to get the ball in the perfect position for your teammate to finish off.
H2H
You could say that KDB is too slow for H2H, and that is true. However, he is definitely very fun to use. His shots are of course, very accurate, but like in VSA, KDB’s passing is the best. Every once in a while, a through ball can put one of your attackers clean through on goal, just out of nowhere. He might not be the most effective in the FM world, but he is really fun to use though.
Joshua Kimmich (93)
- Requirement: 100 TOTY Midfielder Points
- Skill Boost: Interceptions
Overview
The German was a part of the treble-winning Bayern Munich side and he wasn’t just there, he was clearly one of the most impactful. He has now found his way into the FIFA TOTY, as a CDM, rather than as a RB which was his original position. Although it seems he is growing into the CDM role.
VSA
You’ll see him a lot in VSA, making runs into the box. That is likely due to his high attacking work rate. In all honesty, it can be a little annoying seeing him appear, since his attacking stats aren’t well moulded for VSA. He can make some good passes and he can dribble well but his shooting isn’t that reliable. Therefore, try to avoid him as much as you can in VSA. When played against in VSA, he seems to try and strip the ball off of you, but the medium work rate stops him from trying much at all. Overall, Kimmich is probably best avoided in VSA.
H2H
Before you try and pick this card up, make sure you have a 2-CDM formation ready and another strong, defensive CDM present. The reason is that Kimmich likes to charge forward in attack, which leaves space behind. If he is your only CDM, that can cause serious issues. Also, his defensive abilities are good so you can press with him, but of course, he does go missing. That’s why having a defensive, disciplined CDM alongside him is a good idea. Someone like the UCL Brozovic would work well here. As an attacking CDM, Kimmich plays well as a playmaker, starting attacks with long balls and through balls.
FIFA Mobile 21 TOTY Starters: Defenders
Alphonso Davies (93)
- Requirement: 100 TOTY Defender Points
- Skill Boost: Pace
Overview
The Canadian wingback enjoyed an eventful breakout season with Bayern Munich as he helped the German side to a season treble. It goes without a doubt, Davies deserves a spot in any TOTY. Here’s how Davies fairs in FIFA Mobile.
VSA
As a defender, Davies is not really that bad. Of course, you don’t expect your LB to act as a wall in VSA, especially if it is an attacking player. Still though, Davies does help out in defence as well. He has some strength in him and his pace allows him to track back really well.
H2H
As you can see from his stats, this card is simply just pure pace. He just feels so smooth on the turn and his close control is brilliant. His distribution isn’t the best though, especially his long passes which can seem to get intercepted quite often. Although his attacking work rate does leave spaces behind in defence, he is fast enough to cover up. He isn’t the perfect, ideal full-back, but it might be one of the best out there.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (93)
- Requirement: 100 TOTY Defender Points
- Skill Boost: Pace
Overview
When you think of some top-quality RBs, you are sure to think of Liverpool’s youngster, Trent Alexander-Arnold. It’s hard to think of an RB that has experienced more success than the English wonderkid. He once again finds his way back into FIFA’s TOTY.
VSA
He is definitely not the strongest defender there is. It doesn’t feel as though he applies much pressure on you when you play against him. However, he does track you and stay on your tail quite well. His positioning is also pretty good, and he does catch you off-guard a lot. Again, you wouldn’t expect an offensive RB to do much in your VSA defence anyway.
H2H
He might not be as fast as Davies, but his distribution is much better. His passing is just extraordinary, both short and long. In the turn, he does quite well as well, there are some speed and fluidity in how he changes direction, which is very useful, especially if you are under pressure from your moment. It’s better to play early crosses with Trent though, the reason being his pace is quite limiting. You can quite easily get tackled if you try to run further down the line. Alternately go for Freeze Wan-Bissaka, he is still the best in the business.
Sergio Ramos (94)
- Requirement: 150 TOTY Defender Points
- Skill Boost: Tackling
Overview
The Real Madrid center-half is still regarded as one of the best CBs in the world right now, and rightly so. Once again, the majority of the FIFA community selects Ramos as their desired CB for the 2020 Team of the Year.
VSA
From first impressions, Ramos is very aggressive. Getting too close to him, initiates a foul a lot of times. This might sound a little negative, but the fouls waste a lot of time, which can help you if you have Ramos in defence. He seems to target slide tackles a lot as well, so if you have somebody with the Rainbow flick, that would be the perfect counter. Also, he doesn’t seem to charge straight at you much, possibly due to the low defensive work rate. Another positive is his reactions, it is a lot more difficult to skill past Ramos, since he can read your moves quite while. Overall, a pretty good defender that is quite difficult to play against. With the power header trait and some great heading stats, Ramos is brilliant at headers as well.
H2H
Where in VSA, the fouls can prove to be a helping hand, they do almost the opposite in H2H. You’ll have to be very careful when controlling Ramos, try to make the tactical tackles, rather than using brute force. Also, take advantage of his sliding tackles as well, they are almost always so clean, which can allow you to instantly stop your opponent’s attacks. His headers, as said before, are great as well. One big downside to this card is his work rate though, he does like to push forward, and he doesn’t have much pace to pull back. Make sure to have a more disciplined defender alongside him.
Virgil Van Dijk (95)
- Requirement: 175 TOTY Defender Points
- Skill Boost: Captain
Overview
The Liverpool CB was likely one of the best in the world last year, and even the year before. It wouldn’t be a TOTY without the Dutch wall in the mix. His card in FIFA Mobile was almost a cheat code in the last few seasons. Here’s how he fairs this season.
VSA
Although he is a brilliant stopper at the back, he goes missing. A lot. As a CB, you expect to be coming up against him in almost every chance, but with Van Dijk, he can sometimes be seen running in late, or just not appearing at all. This is likely due to the Medium/Medium work rates, and the very poor, 59 positioning. If you’re using Van Dijk to try and terrorize your opponents in VSA, it won’t be worth it this year, since he doesn’t seem to appear at all in the first place. His positioning on corners is also quite awkward, which doesn’t allow you to fully take advantage of his headers. Overall, a disappointing card in VSA.
H2H
He isn’t as bad in H2H as he is in VSA, since you can take control of him. You’ll find him just walking around out of position a lot, which is very annoying. If you really want this card, try to get a disciplined partner alongside Van Dijk. He is still a fantastic CB, but the issue is, he is rarely ever in the right place.
FIFA Mobile 21 TOTY Goalkeeper
Manuel Neuer (95)
- Requirement: 175 TOTY Defender Points
- Skill Boost: Reflexes
Overview
The German super-stopper was another key-part of the Bayern Munich, treble-winning side. There is no doubt about the fact that Neuer was one of the best, if not the best goalkeeper throughout the entire course of 2020. It would be a severe disappointment not to see him in the FIFA TOTY, here is how he performs in game.
VSA
He is a pretty ordinary goalkeeper in VSA, nothing really special. Saves most easy and basic shots, concedes the high quality shots. He does rush a lot though, which can be quite intimidating, although any experienced player would be able to keep their cool quite easily. Overall, this card for VSA is more of a visual upgrade than anything. He is good, but there’s cheaper, and perhaps better, options out there.
H2H
Like in VSA, Neuer is a pretty ordinary GK. His reflexes are pretty good, and he can make multiple saves in quick succession. His one-on-ones are probably the best feature though, they can really catch you off-guard, but remember, in the high ranks, the more skillful players won’t have a particularly hard time dealing with Neuer. As said earlier, Neuer is more of a cosmetic, visual upgrade. The card art and the popularity in the name are what make it worth the coins.
Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments section below, I’ll make sure to reply to everyone. Hope you find this review on FIFA Mobile 21 TOTY Starters.
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