FIFA 13: 5 Ultimate Team Selections on a Budget

FIFA 13's Ultimate Team mode can be pretty daunting for newcomers.

A complex market of players must be penetrated from the off. Are you getting value for money? It's a question that consumers must consider with every purchase.

Starting off with a poor team is no fun at all—especially when playing online. You possess the financial prowess of Portsmouth, while everyone else seems to have the never ending funds of Paris Saint-Germain, right?

Well, not necessarily. Excellent teams can be constructed for little money. If you look in the right place, there's plenty of bargains to be had.

I've put together five budget teams. I wanted to keep the cost down, so haven't spent more than 1,500 coins on one player. To ensure each 11 is filled with quality, I also ensured the average rating didn't drop below 80.

These teams enjoy 100 percent chemistry. Quite often, this sense of morale is more important than spending 200,000 coins on a star individual.

Note: 4-1-2-1-2 cards are typically more expensive due to their popularity. The same goes for Premier League players.

Bundesliga

As mentioned already, the 4-1-2-1-2 formation is rather expensive due to its popularity. This is undoubtedly the most adaptable and balanced setup any Ultimate Team can use. Bundesliga cards are relatively cheap—meaning you can put together an excellent 4-1-2-1-2 side without the hassle of paying ridiculous amounts for average players.

Adopters of this side should try counterattacking. While Javi Martinez and a solid defence keep things together at the back, the likes of Mame Diouf and Jakub Blaszczykowski latch onto through balls with penetrative pace.

Position:	Name:	Club:	Nationality:	Rough Cost:	Rating
GK	Rene Adler	Hamburg	German	1,100	81
RB	Gebre Selassie	Werder Bremen	Czech	950	75
CB	Dante	Bayern Munich	Brazilian	1,500	81
CB	Benedikt Howedes	Schalke	German	1,100	81
LB	Christian Fuchs	Schalke	Austrian	950	77
CDM	Javi Martinez	Bayern Munich	Spanish	950	83
RM	Jakub Blaszczykowski	Borussia Dortmund	Polish	1,400	80
LM	Ivan Perisic	Borussia Dortmund	Croatian	800	78
CAM	Rafael Van der Vaart	Hamburg	Dutch	1,400	85
ST	Mario Mandzukic	Bayern Munich	Croatian	1,000	82
ST	Mame Diouf	Hannover	Senegalese	800	77
				Total Rough Cost:	Average Rating:
Formation	4-1-2-1-2			11,050	80

La Liga

Perhaps the most surprising team selection on this list. It's interesting to see exactly what kind of quality you can purchase with minimal funds.

This side builds on the reliable quality of various Valencia stars. The midfield is crammed with urgency and flair—even though it includes the dogged tackling skills of Michael Essien. Such a mix is brought together successfully by Jose Callejon, who buzzes just behind star striker Roberto Soldado. An effective side if you utilise short interchanges.

Position:	Name:	Club:	Nationality:	Rough Cost:	Rating:
GK	Diego Lopez	Sevilla	Spanish	1,000	82
RB	Joao Pereira	Valencia	Portuguese	1,200	80
CB	Raul Albiol	Real Madrid	Spanish	650	81
CB	Miranda	Atletico Madrid	Brazilian	700	78
LB	Filipe Luis	Atletico Madrid	Brazilian	850	79
RM	Sofiane Feghouli	Valencia	Algerian	950	80
CM	Alberto Costa	Valencia	Spanish	900	82
CM	Michael Essien	Real Madrid	Ghanian	800	82
LM	Andres Guardado	Valencia	Mexican	800	82
CF	Jose Callejon	Real Madrid	Spanish	1,200	79
ST	Roberto Soldado	Valencia	Spanish	1,000	82
				Total Rough Cost:	Average Rating:
Formation:	4-4-1-1			10,050	81

Ligue 1

Many will underestimate this Ligue 1 team. Take a closer look. Hidden among the depths of a relatively poor league are plenty of individuals who are worth your money.

The decision to play three at the back is bold. This choice is made viable by the presence of two holding midfielders—both of whom are keen to clatter into opponents at every opportunity. Attacking support comes from two wingers who are expected to feed the diverse front line. If you enjoy mixing strength and speed, this lineup is for you.

Position:	Name:	Club:	Nationality:	Rough Cost:	Rating:
GK	Stephane Ruffier	Saint-Etienne	French	700	80
CB	Nicolos N'Koulou	Marseille	Cameroonian	800	78
CB	Mamadou Sakho	Paris Saint-Germain	French	500	80
CB	Mapou Yanga-M'Biwa	Montpellier	French	400	79
CDM	Rio Antonio Mavuba	Lille	French	750	80
CDM	Yann M'Vila	Stade Rennes	French	800	82
RM	Romain Hamouma	Saint-Ettiene	French	550	77
CAM	Javier Pastore	Paris Saint-Germain	Argentinian	1,000	83
LM	Andre Ayew	Marseille	Ghanaian	950	81
ST	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Saint-Ettiene	Gabonese	850	79
ST	Bafetimbi Gomis	Lyon	French	750	81
				Total Rough Cost:	Average Rating:
Formation:	3-5-2			8,050	80

Premier League

Similar to the real transfer market, many players are overpriced in English football. It's a struggle to put together a side that sustains quality throughout the pitch—but we can try.

Four defenders and an offensive mindset is key here. Plenty of space opens up without traditional wingers, meaning your fullbacks must be ready to gallop forward. Midfield battles are likely to be won by the mix of defensive ability, creative skill and physical power.

Position:	Name:	Club:	Nationality:	Rough Cost:	Rating:
GK	Tim Howard	Everton	American	1,000	81
RB	Pablo Zabaleta	Manchester City	Argentinian	700	79
CB	Kolo Toure	Manchester City	Ivorian	1,300	81
CB	Fabrizio Coloccini	Newcastle	Argentinian	1,100	81
LB	Davide Santon	Newcastle	Italian	800	75
CM	Nuri Sahin	Liverpool	Turkish	1,400	82
CM	Tom Huddlestone	Tottenham Hotspur	English	1,300	77
CM	Michael Carrick	Manchester United	English	950	81
RW	Daniel Sturridge	Chelsea	English	950	78
LW	Gervinho	Arsenal	Ivorian	950	81
ST	Demba Ba	Newcastle	Senegalese	1,200	82
				Total Rough Cost:	Average Rating:
Formation:	4-3-3			11,650	80

Serie A

If you want value for money, look no further than Serie A. Corrupt Italian football seems to have put many players off. As you'll see, this team flaunts real quality from front to back—with a couple of superstars thrown in for good measure.

The likes of Arturo Vidal, Marek Hamsik and Stevan Jovetic will immediately strike fear into your rivals. Away from this world-class trio, the immense finishing power of Miroslav Klose injects a sense of efficiency into the side. Tight at the back and ready to pounce going forward, this setup is a steal if you play your cards right.

Position:	Name:	Club:	Nationality:	Rough Cost:	Rating:
GK	Samir Handanovic	Inter Milan	Slovenian	850	83
RB	Martin Caceres	Juventus	Uruguayan	900	80
CB	Leonardo Bonucci	Juventus	Italian	800	80
CB	Matias Silvestre	Inter Milan	Italian	850	80
LB	Alvaro Pereira	Inter Milan	Uruguayan	1,100	80
CDM	Arturo Vidal	Juventus	Chilean	1,300	84
CDM	Javier Zanetti	Inter Milan	Argentinian	1,000	82
CAM	Hernanes	Lazio	Brazilian	1,200	83
CAM	Marek Hamsik	Napoli	Slovakian	1,300	85
ST	Miroslav Klose	Lazio	German	900	83
ST	Stevan Jovetic	Fiorentina	Montenegrin	850	83
				Total Rough Cost:	Average Rating:
Formation:	4-2-2-2			11,050	82

Post Your Own Budget Teams

Have you stumbled across a bargain that must be shared? Do you play with an amazing squad that cost pennies? Feel free to post your creations here.

Market conditions and player values vary every week, so it's worth hunting around on a regular basis. You are far more likely to get what you want be saving earned coins rather than opening packs.

Please take advantage of the comments section below and be sure to follow me on Twitter:

Follow @Nakerman