The 10 players with the best statistics on Football Manager 2020
Football Manager 2020 has finally hit the shelves.
The iconic game for armchair coaches went live on Tuesday and judging by the first round of reviews, Sports Interactive have knocked it out the park all over again.
And even if you don't spend hours trying to elevate Yeovil Town to the Champions League, the annual release offers more footballing data for supporters to debate and contest.
There's always a massive reaction when EA Sports unveil their player ratings for each FIFA game and the statistics are arguably even more accurate when it comes to Football Manager.
Their data for specific in-game attributes have been used to predict the trajectories of wonderkids and even to compare players on Sky Sports News.
Football Manager 2020
So, it's a fair question to ask at this point: who are the best players on Football Manager 2020?
While signing Lionel Messi for a League Two side might be somewhat ambitious, there's no harm in sussing out the top players in case your paths ever cross on the game.
And although there's no ideal way of isolating an ideal top 10, the Mirror have taken it upon themselves to crunch the data and come up with their batch of the very best players.
Top ten players
We can reliably inform that the result differs from FIFA 20 and you can check out their picks below:
1. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
A bona fide contender for the Ballon d'Or and an absolute colossus on this year's Football Manager, boasting key stats such as 18 heading, 18 decisions and 17 tackling.
2. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Salah has been on a steady slide since his first season at Anfield, but remains one of the world's best players and could be lethal for your team with 18 pace, 18 finishing and 18 off the ball.
3. Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona)
Perhaps the most surprising choice in light of his form this season, Griezmann's electronic version would probably outshine him in real life with 19 first touch, 18 finishing and 17 dribbling.
4. Luis Suarez (Barcelona)
With stats of 19 determination, 18 finishing and 18 flair, you can rest assured that Suarez will perform as bullishly and lethally on your phone as he does at the Nou Camp.
5. Eden Hazard (Real Madrid)
Like Griezmann, Hazard has made a slow start after a summer transfer, but you could fare better with the Belgian at the Bernabeu with his 20 dribbling, 20 agility and 18 technique stats.
6. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
The Frenchman's remarkable sprinting has been rewarded with 20 pace and 20 acceleration, while his technical ability has earned him 18 dribbling and 17 finishing.
7. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain)
The troubled PSG forward boasts a deadly statistical quartet of 20 dribbling, 20 technique, 19 off the ball and 19 flair, while his 16 shooting means you can be sure of his finishing touch.
8. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Arguably the best passer in the world has been justly acknowledged by Football Manager 2020 and with some tantalising numbers of 20 vision, 19 passing, 19 crossing and 18 decisions.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo (Zebre (Juventus))
We're getting into GOAT territory now and while Ronaldo's club name isn't accurate in the game, his statistics look pretty spot on at 20 determination 19 finishing, 19 heading, and 19 long shots.
10. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
But if you truly want unstoppable, look no further than Messi - the Barcelona star is maxed out on 20 for dribbling, finishing, passing and vision.
In terms of differences with EA Sports, the absences of Jan Oblak, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Luka Modric are what makes the respective lists subtly different.
Football Manager have instead put less of an impetus on goalkeeping and have drafted Griezmann, Suarez and Mbappe into their own top ten.
Of course, the decisions are ultimately subjective and feel free to debate them as much as possible, but you can't argue with the statistics if you go head-to-head on Football Manager 2020.
News Now - Sport News