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The 10 best footballers in the world – according to Football Manager 2024

James Young •

Football Manager 2024 came out this week to much fanfare from players of the game.

With some clubs using the database now to scout players due to its extensive research and knowledge, ratings are now an important part of the game’s reputation.

Here are the top 10 best players in the world – according to FMInside’s database of Football Manager 2024 players.

10. Mohamed Salah 

Salah may not be quite at the same peak he was during the first season he signed under Jurgen Klopp in 2018-19, where he scored 32 goals in 36 Premier League outings, but he’d still improve most teams’ right wing with his explosive pace and dribbling.

Football Manager 2024 have Liverpool’s Egyptian King rated at 90 with a potential of 94 in the game.

9. Ederson

Manchester City’s No.1 is the second-best-rated ‘keeper on Football Manager 2024, with a 90. He won’t be a cheap option but if you’re looking for someone who is consistent and will save you every week, it’s worth asking the board for more funds.

At the peak of his career at 30, Ederson is already a treble-winner and has won the Premier League five times.

8. Thibaut Courtois

The Belgian is ranked as the best goalkeeper in world football on the latest edition of Football Manager. We have few complaints with that, given how exceptional he’s been as Real Madrid’s No.1. He’s been given a 91 rating and is almost impossible to sign as there’s no one better in his position.

7. Vinicius Junior

It feels like a lifetime ago that Vinicius signed for Real Madrid as a skinny 18-year-old from Flamengo, but he’s bulked out since and has done what Robinho and Kaka couldn’t by becoming a key part of their squad.

Already with two La Liga medals in the drawer, Vini Jr is hot property and the game already has him rated at 91. FourFourTwo ranked him as the second–best left winger in the world last year.

6. Robert Lewandowski 

At 34, Lewandowski isn’t getting any younger but that hasn’t stopped him being an absolute goal machine his entire career. 238 in 253 for Bayern Munich and 22 in 48 for Barcelona is a pretty good record.

The game has him ranked at 91 and still reckons he has a potential to go to 95. We’re waiting for him to guide Poland single-handedly to the World Cup at 37.

5. Harry Kane

Rejuvenated at Bayern this season, Kane has already scored 15 goals in 10 games for the German champions and unless something disastrous happens, he should finally win a league title.

The game has him ranked at 92 with a potential of 93 but with him just joining Bayern, it’s unlikely that they’d sell him to your club unless you’ve got serious money.

4. Lionel Messi

Although recently moved to Inter Miami in MLS and not quite hitting the same form at PSG that he set so high for himself at Barca, Messi is still ranked as the fourth-best player on the game with him having a rating of 93.

If for whatever reason the game doesn’t retire him when he leaves Miami, I’d buy the editor and move him to your National League side for the fun of it. We need to see a hat-trick vs Dorking Wanderers.

Inter Miami's and Argentina's national team player Lionel Messi receives the 2023 Ballon d'Or trophy during the 67th Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball) award ceremony at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023.

READ: 12 unbelievable stats that show why Lionel Messi deserves his 2023 Ballon d’Or

3. Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe is still tearing up Ligue 1 and surely it’s a matter of time before he moves to Madrid which means now is the perfect time to try and sign him on the game. His contract is up at the end of the season so get those offers in January and skip the button asking to speak to his agent, trust me.

The game has him rated at 94 with a potential of 99 so you’d be stupid to at least not try and tempt him to join Port Vale or wherever you start your journeyman save.

2. Erling Haaland 

You aren’t signing him for another 10 years, forget it. The game has him ranked at 94 with a potential of 98. If you somehow manage to convince him and have the money then you’ve completed the game, well done.

1. Kevin De Bruyne

Interestingly, SI have De Bruyne as their highest-ranked player in their game. With a rating of 95 and a potential of 95, De Bruyne could turn your journeyman striker that goes AWOL for two months of the year and skips training into Haaland. At 32, you may only get two or three reliable years out of him due to his injury past but it’s worth going for.

READ NEXT: The 10 best free agents to sign on Football Manager 2024: De Gea, Pastore, Lingard…

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every club to ever appear in the Premier League?

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