Upd: Football Manager 2006 Wonderkids

| Player | Position | Club | Real-Life Outcome | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | AM RLC, FC | Barcelona | Superstar. The greatest of all time. | | Sergio Agüero | ST | Independiente | Superstar. Premier League legend. | | Sergio Ramos | D RC | Sevilla | Superstar. World Cup & Champions League winner. | | Vincent Kompany | D C, DM | Anderlecht | Superstar. Premier League-winning captain. | | Radamel Falcao | ST | River Plate | Star. One of the best strikers of his generation. | | Lukas Podolski | AM L, ST | Köln | Star. World Cup winner with Germany. | | Hatem Ben Arfa | AM RLC | Lyon | Talent Unfulfilled. Flashes of brilliance, but inconsistent. | | Anderson | AM C | Porto | Talent Unfulfilled. Won trophies but never reached his peak. | | Carlos Vela | AM L, ST | Celta Vigo (on loan from Arsenal) | Solid Career. Good player, but not a global superstar. | | Giovani dos Santos | AM RLC, FC | Barcelona | Solid Career. Similar to Vela, a good but not elite career. | | José Antonio Reyes | AM L | Arsenal | Solid Career. Won trophies, but his career was tragically cut short. | | Kerlon | AM C, ST | Cruzeiro | Flop. The "seal dribble" was more famous than his career. | | Freddy Adu | AM LC, F C | D.C. United | Flop. The ultimate "FM myth" who never delivered in reality. | | Fernando Gago | DM | Boca Juniors | Disappointment. Never justified his billing after moving to Real Madrid. | | Federico Balzaretti | D/WB L | Torino | Solid Career. A reliable player for Italy and Roma. | | Guillermo Ochoa | GK | América | Solid Career. A cult hero, especially for his 2014 World Cup performance. |

The class of 2006 produced a stunning mix of incredible success stories and heartbreaking failures. Here's a look at where some of the biggest names are now.

: Some players became better in-game than in reality. Freddy Adu football manager 2006 wonderkids upd

(KB (Denmark), 18 years old)

That’s the real wonderkid feeling we chase now but can never catch. It wasn’t about the PA (Potential Ability) number. It was about the before . | Player | Position | Club | Real-Life

20. Diving 18, Flair 20. The ultimate high-risk, high-reward save. You either sold him to Chelsea for £60m or watched him miss 40 free kicks before scoring a bicycle kick in the Champions League final.

Several players identified as wonderkids in 2006 went on to define an entire generation of football. Premier League legend

: A certified bargain in the early versions of the game. He can be signed relatively cheaply from the Croatian league and anchors top-tier midfields with his world-class passing and creativity.

+-------------------+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+ | Player Name | 2005 Club | Real-World Career Peak | FM06 Status | +-------------------+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+ | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 8x Ballon d'Or Winner | Elite Tier God | | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United | 5x Ballon d'Or Winner | Ultimate Winger | | Sergio Agüero | Independiente | Man City Legend | Lethal Goal Machine | | Freddy Adu | D.C. United | Journeyman | Ultimate Cult Hero | | Vincent Kompany | Anderlecht | Man City Captain | World-Class Centerback | | Igor Akinfeev | CSKA Moscow | CSKA & Russia Legend | Goalkeeper Must-Buy | | Nuri Şahin | Borussia Dortmund | Real Madrid / Dortmund | Elite Playmaker | +-------------------+--------------------+------------------------+------------------------+ 1. The Generational Icons: Messi and Ronaldo

Since official support and updates for Football Manager 2006 have long ceased, the community has taken matters into its own hands. Numerous fan sites and forums offer updated databases and patches that include more current player stats, potential transfers, and most importantly, updated potential abilities for young players.

Not every FM06 wonderkid had a famous name. These guys are for lower-premium or mid-table saves.