The Best Wonderkids on Football Manager 2005
Football Manager 2005 was one of the fastest-selling games of all-time when it first came out, inspiring many avid fans to take up the reins at their favourite club, sink hours upon hours into the game, and start putting on their suit and tie for cup finals.
For many of us, the greatest joy came from nurturing some of the bright, young talents in the game’s database. Signing a wonderkid for your team is key to building your squad’s long-term success, whether that’s rising through the leagues or transforming your side into a genuine title contender.
Looking for some of the best wonderkids available on FM05? We’ve got you covered!
Goalkeepers
Francisco Guillermo Ochoa
Born: 13th July 1985 (18 years old)
Position: GK
Preferred Foot: Right Only
Nationality: Mexico (Uncapped)
Current Club: America (MEX)
Transfer Value: £2m
Basic Wage: £1.1k per week
Contract Expires: July 2006
Player Overview
Francisco Guillermo Ochoa currently only has half a season of experience with America (MEX) in the Mexican Primera Division. Don’t let that modest record fool you though, he will almost certainly become one of the world’s best goalkeepers in FM05.
Key Strengths
With solid Goalkeeping Attributes for a teenager, Ochoa will almost certainly become the best keeper in the game once he reaches his peak. Low stats in Eccentricity and Tendency To Punch make Ochoa a reliable pair of hands to have between the sticks.
Growth Potential
With the right development, Ochoa should see significant attribute gains over the next few seasons. This includes all vital Goalkeeping attributes, plus the Mental and Physical attributes most useful for keepers. In particular, his Stamina should increase significantly, potentially making him a workhorse of a goalie by his early 20s.
How Did He Do IRL?
In real life, Ochoa made 302 appearances at his original club before trying to make a name for himself in Europe, arguably peaking with three seasons at Ajaccio in France’s Ligue 1 before bouncing around Spain, Belgium, returning to Club America (to become Liga MX’s highest-paid Mexican player), Italy, and Portugal.
Ochoa’s international record is much more impressive than his club accolades, notching up 151 caps (as of writing) and helping Mexico win the CONCACAF Gold Cup five times between 2009 and 2023.
Jefferson
Born: 13th April 1983 (21 years old)
Position: GK
Preferred Foot: Right Only
Nationality: Brazil (4 U21 caps / 0 U21 goals)
Current Club: Botafogo (on loan from Cruzeiro)
Transfer Value: £950k
Basic Wage: £650 per week
Contract Expires: November 2006
Player Overview
Currently on loan at Botafogo from Brazilian Serie A rivals Cruzeiro, Jefferson is attempting to salvage his reputation failing to impress at his parent club.
Key Strengths
It’s fair to say that Jefferson isn’t quite as strong a prospect compared to Ochoa. However, Jefferson is arguably more ready to play at a higher level, particularly due to his exceptionally high Handling and Reflexes.
Growth Potential
Much like Ochoa, Jefferson should see improvements across the board if he gets enough playing time. But, as Jefferson is already a few years older than Ochoa, his development probably won’t be as significant. It should still be enough to make Jefferson a solid keeper option for all but the biggest European clubs though.
How Did He Do IRL?
Jefferson would eventually move to Turkey, playing for Trabzonspor and Konyaspor, before returning to Botafogo for the rest of his career, retiring in 2018.
Although Jefferson’s club career never really took off, that didn’t stop him from making an impressive 22 appearances for the Brazilian national team in the early 2010s.
Libis Andrés Arenas
Born: 12th May 1987 (17 years old)
Position: GK
Preferred Foot: Right Only
Nationality: Colombia (13 U21 caps / 0 U21 goals)
Current Club: Envigado
Transfer Value: £1.8m
Basic Wage: £725 per week
Contract Expires: January 2008
Player Overview
One of Colombia’s surprisingly high number of FM05 wonderkids, Libis Andrés Arenas begins the game with Envigado, a medium sized club in the Colombian top division. Arenas is likely to get ample playing time with Envigado but their small stature compared to European clubs should make it easy to lure him away.
Key Strengths
Arenas also offers a stronger immediate option compared to Ochoa, though there isn’t much in it. It’s also worth noting that Arenas’ Eccentricity and Tendency To Punch are low, making him a safe pair of hands to have in goal.
Growth Potential
As the youngest goalkeeping wonderkid in FM05, Arenas also has the most time to develop into a world class keeper. His Goalkeeping attributes should skyrocket by the time he reaches his early 20s, with key Mental and Physical attributes for goalies seeing similar boosts. With the right development path, Arenas could just become the best keeper in the world!
How Did He Do IRL?
Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out for Arenas’ career in reality. Although he moved to Lazio in 2006, he wasn’t able to establish himself in European football and returned to Colombia a few years later. Arenas then spent the remainder of his career bouncing around Colombia and Uruguay, never staying at one club long enough to achieve any real consistency.
Arenas did make three appearances for the Colombia national team in 2006, but his lack of playing time at club level prevented any further caps.
Perhaps you can change his fate?
Defenders
Philipp Lahm
Born: 11th November 1983 (20 years old)
Position: D/DM RL
Preferred Foot: Right
Nationality: Germany (9 caps / 1 goal)
Current Club: VfB Stuttgart (on loan from FC Bayern)
Transfer Value: £3.7m
Basic Wage: £20k per week
Contract Expires: June 2007
Player Overview
A product of the Bayern Munich youth setup, Philipp Lahm was always expected to become a successful Bundesliga player by his earliest coaches. After two seasons playing with Munich’s second team he joined Stuttgart on loan, where he starts the game once again. The young full back has also already made nine appearances for his country.
Key Strengths
Strong physical attributes and solid mental and technical attributes make Lahm a force to be reckoned with. The combination of his Acceleration, Pace, and Crossing, make Lahm a significant threat bombing down the right hand side to deliver balls into the box.
Growth Potential
Most of Lahm’s development potential comes in his Physical attributes, which is handy for a wing back who will be making lots of runs back and forth. Lahm should also see some minor growth across his Technical and Mental attributes as he matures into one of the best attacking full backs in the game.
How Did He Do IRL?
Lahm would go on to spend 12 seasons with Bayern, making 517 appearances across all competitions, and earning 113 caps with Germany. His trophy cabinet speaks for itself:
- 8x Bundesliga
- 7x National Cups
- 4x Super Cups
- 1x Champions League
- 1x Club World Cup
- 1x World Cup
Can you give Lahm an even more impressive record?
Mark González
Born: 10th July 1984 (20 years old)
Position: D/DM L
Preferred Foot: Left Only
Nationality: Chile (16 caps / 3 goals)
Current Club: Albacete
Transfer Value: £3.7m
Basic Wage: £2.7k per week
Contract Expires: July 2006
Player Overview
A South African-born son of a Chilean football player, Mark González began his career at Universidad Catolica in Chile before joining Spanish side Albacete. The young González has already made an impressive start to his international career, already earning more caps than his father!
Key Strengths
With the strong physical attributes, including the maximum Natural Fitness, and a 16 in Crossing, González is practically a force of nature on the left-hand side. His 17 in Determination is also a good sign that he’ll reach his potential with the right nurturing.
Growth Potential
There isn’t much scope for González to improve his Physical attributes but his Agility and Balance should both rise a little. Most of his development is more likely to come in his Technical stats, either defensively or attacking, depending on how he’s utilised.
How Did He Do IRL?
González would quickly attract the interest of Liverpool but work permit issues disrupted the move, leading instead to a loan to Real Sociedad. Eventually making it to Merseyside didn’t pan out too well for González and he returned to Spain just one season later, this time at Real Betis. From here, González continued tumbling away from his FM05 potential with a five-year stint in Russia before returning to Chile.
Daniel (Dani Alves)
Born: 6th May 1983 (21 years old)
Position: D/DM R
Preferred Foot: Right Only
Nationality: Brazil (Uncapped)
Current Club: Sevilla
Transfer Value: £4.7m
Basic Wage: £12,750 per week
Contract Expires: July 2006
Player Overview
Daniel, better known as Dani Alves, has already established himself as Sevilla’s first-choice right back and played a key role in Brazil’s victory at the 2003 World Youth Championship.
Key Strengths
Alves begins the 2004/05 season with strong attributes across the board. As well as having the Technical and Physical attributes to make him a threat all over the pitch, he possesses unusually high Mental stats for a player so young. This combination makes him a highly valuable asset for any team, even at the highest level.
Growth Potential
It shouldn’t come as much surprise that Dani Alves tends to develop into a world class attacking wing back-style defender. He stands a good chance at becoming a goalscoring threat, at least as far as full backs go, and is quite likely to see both his Technical and Mental attributes grow in line with this.
How Did He Do IRL?
After helping Sevilla win multiple domestic and continental trophies, Alves moved to Barcelona in 2008 as one of the most expensive defenders ever transferred. Success continued as Barcelona won an immense 23 trophies during Alves’ stay at the Nou Camp, including six La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues.
The trend continued even as Alves wound down his career, winning Serie A with Juventus, followed by back-to-back Ligue 1 titles at Paris Saint-Germain. As well as these club successes, Alves was also named in the UEFA Team of the Year in five seasons between 2007 and 2017.
Alves wasn’t quite as successful at the international level, but Brazil still won four trophies during his trophy-studded career!
Vincent Kompany
Born: 10th April 1986 (18 years old)
Position: D/DM C
Preferred Foot: Right
Nationality: Belgium (4 caps / 0 goals)
Current Club: Anderlecht
Transfer Value: £2.6m
Basic Wage: £4.4k per week
Contract Expires: June 2008
Player Overview
The Belgian First Division isn’t among the biggest European leagues but it has created quite a few future stars, including centreback Vincent Kompany. So far, Kompany has played one full season with Anderlecht and earned 4 caps for his country, not bad for an 18 year old!
Key Strengths
At just 18, Kompany already has great Mental attributes and the Physical attributes to back them up (although his Natural Fitness isn’t amazing). Although Kompany’s Technical attributes are a little lower, they’re still solid and should help him provide solid cover, even at top teams.
Growth Potential
Don’t expect to see too much improvement from Kompany in the early part of his career. The Belgian should see modest development turning him into a reliable defensive workhorse. But Kompany has more than a decade to transform into a world class centre back and should be given plenty of playing time to push key attribute growth, especially Stamina.
How Did He Do IRL?
Kompany would go on to spend two more seasons with his childhood club before moving to German Bundesliga side Hamburger SV in 2006. It would be at his next club, Manchester City, that Kompany would spend the majority of his career, totalling 360 appearances across all competitions, including eight seasons as club captain and four Premier League titles.
Kompany also registered 89 caps for Belgium as a stalwart of the nation’s golden generation, who achieved a third place finish in the 2018 World Cup.
Andrés Felipe González
Born: 8th January 1984 (20 years old)
Position: D C
Preferred Foot: Left
Nationality: Colombia (7 caps / 0 goals)
Current Club: América de Cali
Transfer Value: £2.4m
Basic Wage: £825 per week
Contract Expires: January 2005
Player Overview
Andrés González is one of several Colombian wonderkids in FM05 and perhaps the best prospect from that group. The young centreback currently plays for his hometown team, América Cali, and can be picked up by European teams relatively easily.
Key Strengths
The signs of a solid, hard-working centreback are already apparent in González’s stats but he might need some carefully managed career guidance to reach his potential.
Growth Potential
He may not look like anything special at the start of the game, but the right development path could turn González into a key defender for a mid level European side (i.e. UEFA Cup contenders). Sign González early and loan him out, or give him consistent playing time in cup games to unlock his impressive potential!
How Did He Do IRL?
In reality, González never amounted to his full potential, spending most of his career playing in Colombia and made his final international appearance at the age of 25.
Simone Padoin
Born: 18th March 1984
Position: SW/D/DM RLC
Preferred Foot: Left
Nationality: Left
Current Club: Vicenza
Transfer Value: £2.7m
Basic Wage: £250 per week
Contract Expires: June 2005
Player Overview
Padoin is a graduate from the Atalanta youth setup, now playing for Serie B side Vicenza after establishing himself as a first-team player the previous season.
Key Strengths
On top of the strong Physical attributes expected of a promising young player, Padoin also offers surprisingly high Mental attributes for a player his age. These strengths make up for his relatively uninspiring Technical skills, which are quite spread out due to his position versatility.
Growth Potential
Padoin is already a versatile player so it shouldn’t be too surprising that his development potential depends on how he’s used, and could be spread out across his skillset. His Technical attributes should see good jumps with suitable playing time, complimenting his already strong Mental and Physical attributes. Use Padoin as a wide player and stats like Crossing and Dribbling should improve, or keep him central to focus on stats that allow him to create a solid spine for your team, such as Tackling and Passing.
How Did He Do IRL?
Padoin spent a few more seasons with Vicenza before returning to Atalanta, later spending time with Juventus and Cagliari before ending his career at Ascoli.
Although Padoin made multiple appearances for Italy’s youth sides, he somehow never broke into the senior side in real life. Will you be able to change his (and Italy’s) fortunes?
Midfielders
Cristiano Ronaldo
Born: 5th February 1985 (19 years old)
Position: AM/F RLC
Preferred Foot: Either
Nationality: Portugal (13 caps / 2 goals)
Current Club: Man Utd
Transfer Value: £12.25m
Basic Wage: £25k per week
Contract Expires: June 2008
Player Overview
A standout figure from Sporting CP’s youth sides, Cristiano Ronaldo quickly became a hot commodity with impressive performances in the Champions League and Primeira Liga. It was Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United who got their first, immediately giving Ronaldo the prestigious number 7 shirt recently vacated by David Beckham.
Ronaldo’s first season at Old Trafford was solid if unspectacular, followed by a Team of the Tournament-earning performance as Portugal hosted Euro 2004. Where CR7’s career goes from here could be in your hands…
Key Strengths
As you might expect, Ronaldo has high-quality attributes, although perhaps not quite high enough to meet his real-life potential. Ronaldo’s strengths include his top notch Physical attributes and his status as a set piece all rounder. His Flair is also maxed out, with Agility and Technique not far behind.
Growth Potential
Already at his peak Physical condition, most of Ronaldo’s development opportunities come in his Technical and Mental attributes, particularly the latter. He should also become even more of a goalscoring threat, a deadly combination considering his ability to play on either wing!
How Did He Do IRL?
Very little needs to be said about Ronaldo’s real life successes. Highlights include five Ballon d’Or trophies, seven Champions League top goalscorer awards, five Champions League wins with Man Utd and Real Madrid, three Premier League titles, two La Liga titles, two Serie A titles with Juventus, and almost single handedly dragging Portugal to the 2016 Euros trophy.
Ronaldo would also continue playing at the international level into his 40s, becoming the highest overall goalscorer in history with 135 (and counting!) goals.
Riccardo Montolivo
Born: 18th January 1985 (19 years old)
Position: AM LC
Preferred Foot: Right
Nationality: Italy (2 U21 caps / 0 U21 goals)
Current Club: Atalanta
Transfer Value: £9.75m
Basic Wage: £2k per week
Contract Expires: June 2008
Player Overview
Riccardo Montolivo is a shining star of Atalanta’s youth academy, playing a not insignificant role in their promotion from Serie B to Serie A in the season prior to FM05.
Key Strengths
Montolivo is set to take the world by storm, primarily thanks to his incredible mental attributes and set piece abilities. The main thing letting him down is his relatively worse physical skills, a few major injuries and Montolivo’s career could pan out much more conservatively.
Growth Potential
As a right-footed left winger, Montolivo develops best as an inside forward and set piece specialist. The Italian isn’t as physically fit or versatile as Cristiano Ronaldo, but his Mental attributes should develop much quicker. You’re also more likely to tempt Montolivo away from Atalanta than Ronaldo from Man Utd!
How Did He Do IRL?
Atalanta weren’t able to survive relegation from Serie A in the 2004/05 season and were forced to part with Montolivo in a co-ownership deal with Fiorentina. Montolivo would soon join Fiorentina permanently and make 259 appearances in all competitions, serving as captain for two seasons. After this, Montolivo moved to AC Milan on a free transfer where he saw out the rest of his career, retiring in 2019.
Internationally, Montolivo earned his first Italy cap in 2007 and made a total of 66 appearances for Gil Azzurri, finishing as runners up at Euro 2012.
Freddy Adu
Born: 2nd June 1989 (15 years old)
Position: AM/F LC
Preferred Foot: Either
Nationality: U.S.A (2 U21 caps / 2 U21 goals)
Current Club: DC United
Transfer Value: £40ok
Basic Wage: £75 per week
Contract Expires: N/A
Player Overview
THE definition of Football Manager wonderkids.
Joining D.C. United at just 14 years old, Ghanaian-born Freddy Adu is a potential diamond in the rough this is the United States’ MLS.
Key Strengths
You might look at Adu’s stats and think “what’s the big deal?” Just remember that he has this attributes at fifteen years old and won’t hit his peak for at least another decade! Don’t expect Adu to be ready for regular Champion’s League starts and he should soon develop into a player you can rely on.
Growth Potential
With the right nurturing, Adu will be a world class player by the time he turns 20. A lethal attacking threat who can play with both feet, run with the ball, make solo plays, and support teammates all rolled into one superb player. What more could you ask for?
How Did He Do IRL?
Unfortunately, Adu barely reached a fraction of his FM in real life, spending four disappointing seasons in Europe before returning to the States with Philadelphia Union. From there, Adu bounced around various leagues around the world never making more than a handful of appearances with each club.
Adu broke into the USMNT at 20 and spent several years as a semi-regular suad member. But the drop-off in his club career also saw him out of contention internationally, leaving him with just 17 caps and 2 goals to his name.
Can you take FM06 Adu and turn him into the “next Pele” he was once touted as?
Diego (Ribas)
Born: 28th February 1985 (19 years old)
Position: AM C
Preferred Foot: Right
Nationality: Brazil (7 caps / 0 goals)
Current Club: Porto
Transfer Value: £5.5m
Basic Wage: £12.5k per week
Contract Expires: June 2008
Player Overview
Diego is one of several impressive youngsters from Santos’ successful side in the early 2000s. Those successes have earned Diego a move to Porto, who hope he will fill the gap left by Deco’s departure to Barcelona.
Key Strengths
Diego’s high Physical attributes are his main strength, except for average Natural Fitness. His Technical and Mental attributes are well balanced for an attacking midfielder, in particular his Dribbling, Technique, Bravery, Flair, Teamwork, and Work Rate mean that Diego should develop into a world class player.
Growth Potential
If Diego gets enough playing time, you’ll find he does just that! Expect Diego to become a long range goalscoring threat, both with his own and assisting others. He’s unlikely to see much change in his Physical performance, but starting off in such a strong place makes it difficult to improve on.
How Did He Do IRL?
Deco’s shoes were too difficult for Diego to fill, leading to his transfer to Werder Bremen in 2006. Things quickly turned around for Diego in Germany, including being named the Bundesliga Player of the season and a return to the Brazilian national side in 2007.
Joining Italian giant Juventus in 2009 also didn’t pan out too well, followed by a return to Germany at Wolfsburg and some time with Spanish side Atletico Madrid. Diego then spent two seasons with Turkish side Fenerbache before returning to Brazil to see out his career with Flamengo (and a final international cap in 2017, his first since 2008), retiring in 2022 – quite the yo-yo career!
Javier Mascherano
Born: 8th June 1984 (20 years old)
Position: DM RC
Preferred Foot: Right
Nationality: Argentina (9 caps / 0 goals)
Current Club: River
Transfer Value: £4.1m
Basic Wage: £625 per week
Contract Expires: August 2006
Player Overview
Already an Argentine international, Javier Mascherano currently plays for River Plate but has several top European clubs sniffing around for a transfer almost immediately.
Key Strengths
Key Strengths
Much like Diego, Mascherano is incredibly well placed to become one of the best players in the world in his position. He starts the game with incredibly high stats in Tackling, Determination, Influence, Teamwork, and Agility, plus solid set piece abilities (except throw ins). Just don’t expect him to score or win any headers!
Growth Potential
Play a few seasons and Mascherano becomes an absolute maestro of a midfielder. The Argentinean will almost certainly be involved in key build up play that could define his team’s season performance. He might even score a few goals from long range too!
How Did He Do IRL?
Mascherano would move to Brazilian side Corinthians in 2005 before making a controversial move to West Ham, alongside fellow Argentinean Carlos Tevez. After playing just five games for the Hammers he moved to Liverpool. Although Mascherano was a solid hand at Anfield, his 2010 move to Barcelona saw him established as one of the top defensive midfielders in the world, playing a part in the Spanish side’s dominant run throughout the early 2010s.
With Argentina, Mascherano won two Olympic gold medals and finished second at FOUR separate Copa America’s and the 2014 World Cup.
Francesc Fabregas
Born: 4th May 1987 (17 years old)
Position: M C
Preferred Foot: Right Only
Nationality: Spain (Uncapped)
Current Club: Arsenal
Transfer Value: £5.25m
Basic Wage: £5k per week
Contract Expires: June 2009
Player Overview
Better known as Cesc, Fabregas hadn’t yet proven his abilities but was a well-lauded teenage sensation who had impressed during Arsenal’s League Cup run alongside the famous Invincibles season – Fabregas even became the cup’s youngest ever goalscorer in one of these games!
Key Strengths
At 17, Fabregas is unlikely to set the world on fire. However, the signs of a quality player are already there with a good base of stats across his Technical, Mental, and Physical attributes. With the right development, Fabregas should turn into the silky playmaker he became in real life.
Growth Potential
Fabregas sees significant all round improvement as he develops. He becomes especially talented as an attacking threat from midfield, an accurate representation of his real life development as a playmaking master. Don’t be surprised if he scores a few from deep positions too!
How Did He Do IRL?
The 2004/05 season would be an immediate breakout success for the young Spaniard, soon establishing himself as Patrick Vieira’s natural successor and, eventually, taking on the captain’s armband at the age of just 23.
A return to Barcelona came calling in 2011 but discontent led him back to London, this time at Chelsea, much to the annoyance of many Arsenal fans…
As his career began winding down, Fabregas joined French outfit Monaco before playing his final season with Italian Serie B side Como.
Fabregas also performed well at the international level, making 110 appearances for the Spanish national side and contributing to their dominant run between 2008 and 2012.
Strikers
Wayne Rooney
Born: 24th October 1985 (18 years old)
Position: F C
Preferred Foot: Either
Nationality: England (17 caps / 9 goals)
Current Club: Man Utd
Transfer Value: £25m
Basic Wage: £50k per week
Contract Expires: June 2010
Player Overview
Fresh off the back of a highly successful Euro 2004, Rooney is probably the most experienced teenage wonderkid, as well as holding the most international caps and goals on this list!
Wayne already has two full seasons of Premier League football at Everton to his name, with 17 goals in 77 club appearances under his belt. Joining Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United for £20 million over the summer, Rooney now looks to take his career to the next level as one of the most promising (and expensive) young players in the game.
Key Strengths
Unsurprisingly, Rooney’s attributes are incredible on FM05. His Technical, Mental, and Physical stats all point to him becoming one of the best players in the world, including the top possible rating in both Creativity and Flair. He’s also a solid set piece taker, which is particularly useful for corners as his Heading and Jumping stats are merely average.
Growth Potential
As Rooney is already one of the best players in the entire game, there isn’t as much scope for him to improve compared to other wonderkids. But don’t be surprised if his Technical and Mental attributes increase a little until he reaches his peak ability in his early 20s.
How Did He Do IRL?
Rooney would go on to become both Man Utd and England’s all-time highest goalscorer, winning the Premier League five times with the former. As his career wound down, Rooney returned to Everton for one season before spending another season each at D.C. United and Derby County.
Fernando Torres
Born: 20th March 1984 (20 years old)
Position: S C
Preferred Foot: Right
Nationality: Spain (9 caps / 1 goal)
Current Club: Atletico Madrid
Transfer Value: £31m
Basic Wage: £50k per week
Contract Expires: June 2007
Player Overview
Another established and proven goalscorer, Fernando Torres already has 115 senior club appearances and 43 goals for Atletico Madrid. The previous summer saw Roman Abramovich’s newly minted Chelsea bid £28m for the Spanish striker but the Atletico board didn’t want to lose their talisman. Instead, Torres became club captain at the age of 19!
Key Strengths
The most expensive FM05 wonderkid, Torres already looks like the complete package – a natural heir to late 90s Michael Owen. However, much like early 00s Owen, his Physical stats are a bit lopsided, favouring speed over balance and fitness.
Growth Potential
Another reason for Torres’ high transfer value is that he’s essentially already at his peak. What you’re getting for that money is an oven-ready wonderkid who’s ready to score goals like it’s fun, for about a decade. Torres might see some minor improvements early on but nothing as substantial as others on this list.
How Did He Do IRL?
Torres spent another three seasons at Atletico before joining Liverpool for £20 million plus Luis Garcia in 2007 and continued his prolific goalscoring record in the Premier League. A £50 million move to Chelsea in 2011 wasn’t quite as successful, however, leading to a series of loans to AC Milan and Atletico Madrid once again. Torres ended his career playing for Sagan Tosu in Japan’s J1 League.
Internationally, Torres earned 110 caps for Spain, scoring 38 goals and playing a key role in the nation’s tournament success between 2008 and 2012 – including scoring the winning goal in the Euro 2008 final.
Carlos Tevez
Born: 5th February 1984 (20 years old)
Position: F C
Preferred Foot: Right
Nationality: Argentina (10 caps / 2 goals)
Current Club: Boca
Transfer Value: £6m
Basic Wage: £5k per week
Contract Expires: June 2006
Player Overview
Young Carlos Tevez has had a solid-if-unspectacular career at Boca Juniors so far, scoring 33 goals in 94 appearances.
Key Strengths
A physical specimen, Tevez should have no problems settling into the top European leagues. High ratings in Technique, Determination, Flair, and speed based stats should make Tevez a goalscoring threat for at least the next decade. His set piece abilities (once again excluding Long Throws) are also impressive, making Tevez a solid candidate for corner taking duties due to his poor Heading stat.
Growth Potential
Unlike Rooney and Torres, Tevez isn’t the complete package yet and might not be ready to start regularly for elite level clubs yet. But he’ll get there so, if you’re looking for a more affordable long-term option, or a hallmark signing for your midtable side, take Tevez into serious consideration. You’ll have an absolute beast of a goalscoring striker on your hands within a few seasons!
How Did He Do IRL?
Tevez would go on to have a tumultuous and somewhat controversial career, joining Brazilian club Corinthians in 2005 before signing for West Ham the following year, alongside compatriot Javier Mascherano. In 2007, Tevez began a two-year loan stay at Manchester United then leaving for rivals Manchester City in 2009, helping to establish City as one of the Premier League’s top clubs. His later career saw Tevez join Juventus, and return to Boca Juniors on two separate occasions, following a brief interval season at Chinese club Shanghai Shenua.
He arguably underperformed for Argentina, scoring just 13 times in 76 international appearances. It’s hardly surprising that Tevez’s international career coincided with a dry spell for his country.
More Top Wonderkids on Football Manager 200X
FM05 is a little light on wonderkid goalkeepers but there are more than enough talented young outfield players to build your squad around.
If you’re after even more options, here are over 50 additional wonderkids to suit any budget!
| Player | Club | Nationality | Age | Position(s) | Foot | Transfer Value | Basic Wage (per week) | Contract Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libis Andres Arenas | Envigado | Colombia | 17 | GK | RO | £1.5m | £230 | January 2006 |
| John Heitinga | Ajax | Holland | 20 | SW/D RC | Either | £4.5m | £2.5k | July 2008 |
| Andre Bahia | Flamengo | Brazil | 20 | SW/D RC | LO | £1.9m | £325 | January 2006 |
| Simone Padoin | Vicenza | Italy | 20 | SW/D/DM RLC | L | £1.8m | £250 | June 2005 |
| Carl Medjani | Liverpool | France | 19 | SW/D C | RO | £675k | £5k | June 2007 |
| Alexandre Barthe | Saint-Etienne | France | 18 | SW/D C | RO | £230k | £190 | June 2007 |
| Daniel | Sevilla | Brazil | 21 | D/DM R | RO | £5.25m | £13.25k | July 2006 |
| Nigel de Jong | Ajax | Holland | 19 | D RLC | RO | £2.7m | £2.2k | July 2006 |
| Mark van den Boogaart | Feyenoord | Holland | 18 | D/DM RC | RO | £2m | £750 | July 2006 |
| Oscar Diaz | Saturn | Paraguay | 18 | D/DM R | R | £1.2m | £650 | January 2006 |
| Leo | Marseille | Brazil | 18 | D/DM R | RO | £525k | £250 | June 2007 |
| Adriano | Coritiba FC | Brazil | 19 | D/DM L | Either | £1.9m | £475 | August 2005 |
| Felipe | Internacional | Brazil | 18 | D/DM L | LO | £1.3m | £700 | September 2009 |
| Edwin Alberto del Castillo | Cucuta Deportivo | Colombia | 20 | D C | R | £7k | £75 | January 2006 |
| Jaime Alberto Castrillon | Medellin | Colombia | 21 | DM RC | R | £4.1m | £3.2k | January 2006 |
| Balci Serkan | Fenerbahce | Turkey | 20 | DM RC | RO | £3.1m | £1.9k | June 2007 |
| Freddy Guarin | Envigado | Colombia | 18 | DM RC | R | £1.6m | £450 | January 2006 |
| Daniele De Rossi | Roma | Italy | 20 | DM LC | R | £10.75m | £4.5k | June 2006 |
| Antonio Rio Mavuba | Bordeaux | France | 20 | DM C | R | £5.75m | £3.2k | June 2006 |
| Christian Obodo | Fiorentina / Perugia | Nigeria | 20 | DM C | RO | £3.7m | £1.2k | June 2008 |
| Marco Donadel | Sampdoria | Italy | 21 | DM C | RO | £3m | £3.4k | July 2006 |
| Manuel Fernandes | Benfica | Portugal | 18 | M C | R | £2.5m | £1.2k | June 2010 |
| Bastian Schweinsteiger | FC Bayern | Germany | 19 | AM RC | R | £9.75m | £15k | June 2007 |
| Jermaine Jenas | Newcastle | England | 21 | AM RC | R | £8.5m | £15k | June 2008 |
| Darren Fletcher | Man Utd | Scotland | 20 | AM RC | R | £8m | £10k | June 2008 |
| Wesley Sneijder | Ajax | Holland | 20 | AM RLC | Either | £7.25m | £17.5k | July 2007 |
| Ruben Ariel Olivera | Juventus | Uruguay | 21 | AM RLC | R | £6.75m | £3.7k | June 2006 |
| Salomon Kalou | Feyenoord | Ivory Coast | 18 | AM R | RO | £4.2m | £1.7k | July 2007 |
| Biagio Pagano | Sampdoria | Italy | 21 | AM RLC | Either | £4m | £2.5k | June 2008 |
| Luis Jimenez | Ternana | Chile | 20 | AM RLC | R | £3.2m | £1.7k | June 2007 |
| Anthony Le Tallec | Liverpool | France | 19 | AM/F RC | R | £3m | £20k | June 2008 |
| Christopher Eagles | Man Utd | England | 18 | AM RC | R | £2m | £4k | June 2008 |
| Arjen Robben | Chelsea | Holland | 20 | AM LC | Left | £11.75m | £12.5k | June 2009 |
| Rafael van der Vaart | Ajax | Holland | 21 | AM LC | LO | £7.25m | £21k | July 2006 |
| Nicolae Mitea | Ajax | Romania | 19 | AM L | LO | £5.75m | £2.6k | July 2007 |
| Stewart Downing | Middlesbrough | England | 19 | AM L | LO | £4.7m | £5k | June 2009 |
| Daniel Carvalho | CSKA Moscow | Brazil | 21 | AM LC | L | £2.3m | £2.3k | February 2008 |
| Alberto Aquilani | Roma | Italy | 19 | AM C | R | £7.75m | £3.1k | June 2008 |
| Alexei Eremenko | Lecce | Finland | 21 | AM C | Either | £5.5m | £2.1k | July 2009 |
| Niko Kranjcar | Dinamo | Croatia | 19 | AM C | R | £2.8m | £1.4k | June 2007 |
| Bruno | Gremio | Brazil | 20 | AM C | RO | £2.4m | £700 | December 2006 |
| Aldo Andres Jara | Cerro Porteno | Paraguay | 20 | AM/F C | RO | £450k | £275 | August 2006 |
| Gianpaolo Pazzini | Atalanta | Italy | 19 | S C | R | £9.5m | £2.5k | June 2007 |
| Mido | Roma | Egypt | 21 | F LC | Either | £7.5m | £3.6k | June 2009 |
| Daniele Corvia | Roma | Italy | 19 | F RC | R | £6.75m | £3k | June 2006 |
| Diego | Internacional | Brazil | 19 | F C | R | £6m | £450 | June 2006 |
| Nelson Haedo Valdez | Werder Bremen | Paraguay | 20 | F RC | R | £5.75m | £15k | June 2007 |
| Vagner Love | CSKA Moscow | Brazil | 20 | F C | RO | £5.25m | £4.7k | June 2008 |
| Edixon Perea | Atletico Nacional | Colombia | 20 | S C | Either | £4.8m | £3.3k | January 2006 |
| Mirko Vucinic | Lecce | Serbia & Montenego | 20 | F C | LO | £4.8m | £2k | June 2007 |
| Vaclav Sverkos | Gladbach | Czech Republic | 20 | S C | RO | £4.3m | £12.5k | June 2007 |
| Jhon Jairo Mosquera | River | Colombia | 16 | F C | R | £650k | £275 | N/A |
| Christophe Mandanne | Le Havre | France | 19 | F RC | RO | £140k | £250 | June 2006 |
| Jafeth Asprilla | Santa Fe | Colombia | 20 | F C | Either | £120k | £300 | January 2006 |
| Tim Janssen | PSV | Holland | 18 | S C | RO | £50k | £230 | July 2006 |
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