: Identified as a future defensive cornerstone, he was a high-value target for any top-tier club. Wayne Rooney

He leaned back in his creaking office chair, rubbing his eyes. The pixelated confetti rained down on his screen. He had done the impossible. He had turned a relegation-threatened squad into European champions using nothing but his tactical genius and a spreadsheet of teenagers who would eventually become gods.

Fresh off his "wink" at Euro 2004 and the 2005 FA Cup final, Ronaldo was still seen as a tricky showpony by some real-life pundits. FM06 saw the truth. He had blistering pace, dribbling 20, flair 20, and a matching ego. Unlike Messi, United could be convinced to sell for around £40-50 million after a season. Once you signed him, he would win the World Player of the Year for a decade straight.

The Golden Era: Football Manager 2006 Wonderkids Football Manager 2006 (FM06) remains a cult favorite for many players, partly because it captured the dawn of a new era in football. The "Wonderkid" tag in FM06 wasn't just a scout's opinion—it was often a prophecy. This was the year and Cristiano Ronaldo were just beginning to dominate, while other "FM Legends" were being born in the game’s database who would never quite reach the same heights in real life.