These players were virtual gods whose real-life careers, while often successful, didn't always reach the heights of their FM06 stats. Freddy Adu (D.C. United, 16)
: FM06 caught Messi just as he was breaking into the first team; by the time FM07 released, his stats had already skyrocketed to reflect his emerging status. football manager 2006 wonderkids top
Looking back, Football Manager 2006 was almost prophetic. It correctly identified that Messi and Rooney would dominate the next decade. It saw Fàbregas’s vision before the trophies arrived. And it allowed us to build dynasties around players like Kompany and Akinfeev before they became household names. These players were virtual gods whose real-life careers,
| Cost: Loan with future fee (£5m) The most frustrating genius in FM history. His attributes: 20 Dribbling, 20 Flair, 19 Technique. His hidden attributes: 1 for Consistency, 2 for Big Matches. He will dribble past four players and then pass to the corner flag. Buy him for the highlights, not the trophies. Looking back, Football Manager 2006 was almost prophetic
(Anderlecht): A reliable, high-potential center-back available at a reasonable price. Sergio Ramos