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Football Manager 2020 wonderkids: the best, highest potential players in FM20 listed

A list of the fifty highest potential wonderkids in Football Manager 2020

Football Manager 2020's wonderkids are as important as ever, and with the game out in the wild and new saves beginning once more, it's time to find the best young players - the so-called wonderkids - that hold ratings for the highest potential in the game. It's one of the most satisfying reasons to play FM20.

These future greats have the potential to change any club you decide to manage, but aside from luck, having a supercharged scouting record is the only way you'll be able to find them when you start a new season.

Below we've compiled a wonderkids shortlist of the fifty (well, fifty-five) best young players in FM20.

If you're after a bargain, mind, it's worth giving our guide to FM20 free agents and bargain transfers a look.

FM20 wonderkids list: the best, highest potential young players in Football Manager 2020 listed

Here's our list of the best wonderkids in FM20, sorted by highest potential to lowest potential rating - a hidden number as found in the in-game editor.

FM20 wonderkids list: the best young players in Football Manager 2020

RankNamePositionCurrent abilityPotential abilityAgeClubUnique ID
1Kylian MbappeAM (RL), ST (C)18119620Paris Saint-Germain85139014
2Matthijs de LigtD (C)154160-19019Zebre37055843
3Vinicius JuniorAM (L), ST (C)144160-19019Real Madrid19302146
4Gianluigi DonnarummaGK155160-19020AC Milan43252073
5RodrygoAM (L), ST (C)130160-19018Real Madrid19306929
6Jean-Clair TodiboD (C), DM130160-19019Barcelona48044499
7Ansu FatiM (L), AM (RL), ST (C)120160-19016Barcelona B67276122
8Ousmane DembeleM/AM (RL)16918522Barcelona85140178
9Kai HavertzM/AM (C)15318020Bayer 04 Leverkusen91151081
10Callum Hudson-OdoiAM (RLC)140150-18018Chelsea28112986
11Declan RiceD (C), DM, M (C)139150-18020West Ham United28106491
12Moussa WagueD/WB (RL)145150-18020Barcelona13158640
13Moise KeanAM (RL), ST (C)133150-18019Everton43274977
14Erling HaalandST (C)143150-18019Salzburg29179241
15Nicolo ZanioloM (C), AM (RLC)143150-18020AS Roma43270517
16Eduardo CamavingaDM, M (C)116150-18016Stade Rennais49056243
17William SalibaD (C)119150-18018Arsenal49039004
18Dominik SzoboszlaiM (LC), AM (C)121150-18018Salzburg16202373
19Exequiel PalaciosM (LC)132150-18020River Plate14110846
20Sandro TonaliDM, M (C)125150-18019Brescia43298481
21Pietro PellegriST (C)114150-18018AS Monaco43344129
22Mohamed IhattarenAM (RLC)122150-18017PSV Eindhoven37073834
23Fabio SilvaST (C)118150-18017FC Porto83228802
24Thiago AlmadaAM (LC), ST (C)120150-18018Velez Sarsfield14172522
25Myron BoaduAM (RL, ST (C)125150-18018AZ Alkmaar37060951
26Ryan GravenberchDM, M (C), AM (LC)115150-18017AFC Ajax37071197
27Sergio GomezM/AM (LC)120150-18018Borussia Dortmund67258414
28Mason GreenwoodAM (R), ST (C)122150-18017Manchester United28121564
29Naci UnuvarM (C), AM (LC)90150-18016AFC Ajax37079279
30Yari VerschaerenM (C), AM (RLC)124150-18018RSC Anderlecht18105040
31Emanuel VignatoAM (RC)109150-18018Chievo Verona43296186
32Amine GouiriAM (L), ST (C)118150-18019Lyon48044735
33Jonathan DavidAM (RLC), ST (C)124150-18019Gent18108540
34Hamed Junior TraoreDM, M (C), AM (RC)136150-18019Empoli43317933
35Jude BellinghamM (C), AM (RLC)112150-18016Birmingham City29232937
36Diego LainezAM (RL)124150-18019Real Hispalis51063318
37Troy ParrottST (C)107150-18017Tottenham Hotspur28122837
38PedriM (C), AM (RLC)105150-18016Barcelona67293495
39Ilaix MoribaDM, M/AM (C)105150-18016Barcelona B67279753
40ReinierAM (C)110150-18017FLA Idrettslag19354888
41Hannibal MajbriM/AM (C)92150-18016Manchester United49056369
42Sebastiano EspositoST (C)110150-18017Inter Milan43425069
43Rayan CherkiAM (RLC), ST (C)92150-18015Lyon49056279
44Alessio RiccardiM/AM (C)108150-18018AS Roma43372027
45Nicolo ArminiD (LC)99150-18018SS Lazio43373238
46Frenkie de JongD (C), DM, M (C)16017822Barcelona37047745
47Jadon SanchoM/AM (RL)15017819Borussia Dortmund28108490
48Leroy SaneM/AM (RL)16717723Manchester City91138280
49=Gabriel JesusAM (RL), ST (C)15617522Manchester City19220266
49=Leon BaileyM/AM (RL)15117521Bayer 04 Leverkusen18083491
49=Phil FodenM/AM (C)14017519Manchester City28108494
49=ArthurDM, M/AM (C)15917522Barcelona19259600
49=Joao FelixAM (RLC), ST (C)14917519Atletico Madrid83169822
49=Lautaro MartinezST (C)15417521Inter Milan14110660
50Federico ChiesaM (R), AM (RL)15417321ACF Fiorentina43161651
Cover image for YouTube videoFootball Manager 2020 - Announce Trailer
Football Manager 2020 - Announce Trailer

FM20 wonderkids explained: what are wonderkids and how do you find them?

There are three ways in which Football Manager 2020 shows how good each player is throughout the game. Each player has attributes displayed on their main page, and this is the primary source of info for every manager. These ratings (out of a maximum of 20) describe their physical, mental and technical abilities. Sometimes, these numbers can even be displayed as a range, but this can vary depending on your coaching and scouting staff.

The second rating system in the game is a rating given to each player out of five stars. This is split into a player's current rating but also a second, “potential” rating. Once again, this depends on the quality of your staff members to discern each player's abilities.

But the most interesting way players are rated in FM20 is through the hidden system in the game's database. Here, each player is given a “current ability” rating (a score out of 200) but also a secondary, “potential ability” rating too. It goes without saying that these will be some of the best players available to you in the game. However, just remember that these potential ratings are dependent on many factors, such as the collective quality of your squad, your coaching staff and, of course, you as the manager.

Unsurprisingly, the top two players in this year's edition are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But there are many players that have the potential to come close to ratings of 190 (with Kylian Mbappe's potential rating of 196 being the highest). However, with many players having their potential fall in the 150-180 range, it looks like our task will be to perfect the overall squad and training routines to squeeze the very best out of this year's wonderkids.

For more Football Manager 2020 guides like this, meanwhile, our FM20 free agents and bargain transfers page is worth checking out.