FM24: 6 Players Who Could be the New Messi

Unlocking the Future: Discover the budding stars poised to fill Messi’s boots in Football Manager 2024

Unlocking the Future: Discover the budding stars poised to fill Messi’s boots in Football Manager 2024

Since Diego Maradona, Argentina had been awaiting their new saviour. Enter one special youngster from Rosario via Barcelona: Lionel Messi. Little Leo broke into Barcelona’s first team and returned the Argentina national team back to the summit of world football, culminating in lifting the World Cup trophy as captain in 2022. Now that Leo is reaching the end of his career, bar one last chapter in Miami, the world wonders when we’ll ever see a talent like him ever again. The point of this article is to point out the players in FM24 capable of following in his footsteps.

What are we looking for?

Naturally, Messi was one of the finest goalscorers the game has ever seen. He was also a virtuoso dribbler, an exceptional passer, and saw the game unlike anyone else. With that in mind, we’re looking for technique, dribbling, agility and balance, giving these players the same ability to dribble through crowds that Leo had in his prime. Of course, vision, creativity, and a healthy ability to put the ball in the net will help. No pressure then…

Alan Velasco

When looking for a Messi replacement, where better to start than a diminutive Argentinian attacker? His high dribbling, flair and technique immediately catch the eye, but also his vision and composure fit the bill well. Throw in good finishing to boot, and you have the heartbeat of an attacking line that Messi in his Barca prime was. For my taste, I’d like to develop his balance and his teamwork, but for now, Velasco shows potential to fit Messi’s role.

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Badredine Bouanani

Someone who more fits the playmaking side of Messi’s profile, Bouanani has the tools to develop into a complete attacking force. Like Messi, he has a technique and dribbling ability that can’t be taught, and great vision complements superb playmaking. With a little development, his flair could reach that same elite level, making him more unpredictable and able to beat a man at will. The other thing about Bouanani? He’s only 18, so his phenomenal mental attributes will only improve with time.

Roony Bardghji

A popular name from FM23, Bardghji became renowned as one of the very best inside forwards in the game. That hasn’t changed for FM24, with his prodigious attacking play set to light up the game for the foreseeable future again. Equally effective with or without the ball, Bardghji has both the finishing and the playmaking skills to elite in a number of roles on the right wing - not unlike mid-2010s Messi as part of the MSN frontline at Barca. Make no mistake, sign Roony Barghji, and you’ll soon have one of the world’s very best at your club.

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Rayan Cherki

Cherki is another game who’s well-known to FM23 players. Starting FM24 as a 19-year-old, Rayan Cherki is one of the very best wonderkids in the game with the ball at his feet. He turns dribbling into an art form, and takes pride in being able to waltz through a defence on command, all the while with the ball seemingly stuck to his foot. Sound familiar? His finishing is decent, but what draws me back from this player is his poor playmaking. His passing is average, but his teamwork and decision-making are very underwhelming. This selfishness will need to be trained out of him, but for a player with his ability to advance the ball, that could be a small price to pay.

Endrick

We all know about this young man. 16 years old to start FM24, this Brazilian phenom embodies what we think of when we think of South American wonderkids. Dripping with flair, with the dribbling, technique and physical gifts to make him almost untouchable when he runs with the ball. He starts as a decent finisher, his playmaking needs work, but he has the tools to become one of the very best of all time.

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Vitor Roque

I’ve possibly saved the best to last here. An 18-year-old Brazilian winger who is already capable of starting in the top 5 leagues, Vitor Roque, doesn’t necessarily excel at any one element yet, but he’s already showing serious promise in all the categories we’re looking for. He’ll only get better, and that makes him a player you want on your team. The opportunity to pick up a player like this is once in a lifetime, and he appears to be on the same pathway as Lionel Messi. I expect him to dominate the game for decades to come.

READ ALSO: FM24: Unearthing the Next Cristiano Ronaldo - Top 7 Wonderkids to Watch

Conclusion

Who wouldn’t want the next Leo Messi on their team? In FM24, with the players on this list, you have the opportunity to bring someone with that kind of potential to your club. I hope you have fun harnessing these phenomenal young talents and nurturing them to inherit Messi’s throne.