Welcome! This is Part 2 of our mini ‘Who To Be‘ series and in this post we will take a look at 35 teams from around the world that could make for fun or interesting saves! Now, I’ll say it now, there will be some of the big teams from Europe in this list but there are plenty of other options of teams for you to take a look at. We Will look at European giants, teams at step 2 or 3 in their countries and teams with no history or title wins!

Barcelona

Okay, let’s get this one out of the way. Barcelona are not the team of old that dominated a few years ago under Pep. In recent times they have admitted to being in debt and have had to sell off shares and move on players just to get the money down, even if they are still splashing cash on big players but that’s another story. Barcelona have gone on to become one of the biggest clubs in the world since their foundation, they have won a record 75 trophies: 26 La Liga, 31 Copa del Rey, 13 Supercopa de España, 3 Copa Eva Duarte, and 2 Copa de la Liga titles, also being the record holder for the latter four competitions. In international club football, the club has won 22 European and worldwide titles: 5 UEFA Champions League titles, a record 4 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cups, a joint record 5 UEFA Super Cups, a record 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cups, a joint record 2 Latin Cups and 3 FIFA Club World Cups. Can you help bring the debt down while continuing to fight for success? Will you look to the La Masia and the next crop of talent coming through Barcelona’s ranks? Can you tempt Messi back?

Transfer budget: £0
Remaining wage budget: £11,750
Predicted: 2nd

Malaga

Malaga find themselves in the Segunda Division after their relegation from the top flight in 2018, which ended a 10 year stint of playing in La Liga. With little trophy success in their history, They have won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2002 and qualified for the following season’s UEFA Cup, reaching the quarter-final stages. They also qualified for the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League, where they were quarter-finalists. Not long ago Malaga were excluded from European football due to debts, the ban was eventually a one season exclusion from the 2013-14 Europa League. Malaga came close to a return to La Liga in 2019 after finishing 3rd in the Segunda Division, but was eliminated in the first round of the play-offs by Deportivo de La Coruña.

Transfer budget: £0
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 9th

FC Andorra

FC Andorra play of course in the microstate of Andorra but play in the Spanish leagues and have done so since 1948, 6 years after their foundation. They are currently paying at the highest level in their history, the Segunda Division, step 2 of the Spanish pyramid. One of FC Andorra’s best moments came in 1994, after winning the Copa Catalunya. The Andorran team eliminated Barcelona in the semi-finals and went on to defeat Espanyol in the final, winning 4-2 on penalties. In 2018 they were the first club brought by Gerard Pique and his investment group. In 2019, Pique took over a majority stake in another Spanish football club Gimnàstic Manresa. 

Transfer budget: £2,701,222
Remaining wage budget: £23,500
Predicted: 21st

Cordoba

Cordoba CF currently play in the Primera División RFEF – Group 1, which is step 3 in Spanish football, with its home matches at the Estadio Nuevo Arcángel, which can hold 25,800 fans. Cordoba have been on somewhat of a general downfall after spending one season in La Liga back in 2014-15, nearly 43 years since last being in La Liga. They are back at step 3 level after spending one season at step 4, which they went on to win the Segunda Federacion – Group 4. They did do somewhat of a double last season after also winning Copa Federacion de Espana. In the early 1960s and also in 1971-72, Cordoba managed 8 seasons in La Liga. In 1964-65 they finished 5th, its best finish to date, but was not allowed to enter the following season’s UEFA Cup due to city infrastructure issues.

Transfer budget: £37,443
Remaining wage budget: £17,750
Predicted: 5th

Juventus

Juventus are another team that are not as dominant as they once were. They are the most successful team in Italy after winning Serie A a massive 36 times while also coming second 21 times. Some may remember that Juventus got involved in a scandal back in 2006. Juventus was placed at the bottom of the league table and relegated to Serie B for the first time in their history. The likes of key players Thuram, Ibrahimovic and Cannavaro all left due to relegation to Serie B. Other big name players such as Del Piero, Buffon, Trezeguet and Nedved remained to help the club return to Serie A, this also gave them a chance to bring youngsters from the youth team through, such as Sebastian Giovinco and Claudio Marchisio. They went on to win Serie B at the first attempt despite starting with a points deduction. Despite their recent domestic domination after winning it from 2011 up until 2019, they haven’t had everything their own way and the 2021-22 season marked the first year since 2010-11 in which Juventus had not won a trophy. Not many may know this but Juventus take their black and white shirts from Notts County and have done since the early 1900’s.

Transfer budget: £15,604,560
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 2nd

Monza

To some, Monza in Italy is best known for Formula 1 but they are now also known for having a team in Serie A. Monza gained promotion to Serie A for the first time in 2022 after coming close on multiple occasions in the 1970s to promotion to Serie A. They they were declared bankrupt twice, in 2004 and again in 2015. Monza returned to the Serie B in 2020 after a 19-year absence and went on to gain promotion to Serie A for the first time in 2022. The likes of Kevin-Prince Boateng and legend Mario Balotelli have worn the Monza shirt back in 2020-21. Monza do hold the record for more seasons in Serie B without playing in the Serie A which is 40 seasons! Monza are currently owned by Silvio Berlusconi, who was once the Italian Prime Minister, since his arrival Monza have been on upwards direction with them eventually gaining promotion to Serie A. Can you turn this side in to a title challenging side?

Transfer budget: £2,586,390
Remaining wage budget: £19,630
Predicted: 19th

Como

Como who are currently in Serie B have had somewhat of an eventful time since 2003. Como who were last in Serie A in 2002-03 but this was followed by 3 consecutive relegations seeing them drop down to Serie C2 at the end of the 2004-05. Financially overstretched they were another team declared bankrupt and excluded from participation in Italian professional football. They were immediately admitted to Serie D, the top level of non-professional football in Italy, where they spent 3 seasons before earning promotion back to Serie C2 in the 2007-08 season. After being declared bankrupt again in 2016, a new company re-founded the club in 2017 and was admitted to Serie D for the 2017-18 season. Not only does Dennis Wise work behind the scenes but more recently the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Thierry Henry have become share holders in the club and Fabregas also plays for them. Talking of players, they also have former FM Wonderkids Alberto Cerri and Patrick Cutrone leading the line for them with hopes of firing them in to Serie A.

Transfer budget: £2,155,326
Remaining wage budget: £4,200
Predicted: 15th

Genoa

Genoa who were established in 1893, are Italy’s oldest football team, and the oldest Italian football team still active with over 125 years of history. During their long history, Genoa have won the Serie A 9 times. Genoa’s first title came at the inaugural championship in 1898 and their most recent success in Serie A was in 1923-24. They have also won the Coppa Italia for the only time in 1937. Genoa are the fourth most successful Italian club in terms of championships won. Genoa have not won a league title since 1989 which they went on to win Serie B. They also have little experience of European football despite their long history. They last had European football back in 2010, although back in n the 2014-15 season, Genoa, finished in sixth place and were set to qualify for the Europa League qualifying rounds but were denied a UEFA license, because they filed paperwork late and because the stadium was not currently up to standard for UEFA competition. 

Transfer budget: £4,741,717
Remaining wage budget: £7,000
Predicted:

Venezia

Venezia have become more popular in recent times due to some lovely looking kits in recent seasons. Venezia have spent a large part of their history in Italy’s top two divisions. Their biggest achievement was winning the Coppa Italia in 1940-41. They followed this cup success up with their highest Serie A finish of third place in the following season. Filippo Inzaghi became manager in 2016 after previously managing AC Milan. In Inzaghi’s first season in 2016-17, Venezia earned promotion to Serie B after winning the Coppa Italia Serie C. In the 2017–18 season, Venezia’s first at that level for 12 years, the club was a surprise contender for promotion to Serie A, managing to finish fifth in the table. This was their highest Serie B finish since the 2000-01 season of fourth place, when they were last promoted to the top-flight. Venezia do currently have a sprinkle of players that have played in England, with the likes of Niki Maenpaa, Aaron Connolly, Andrija Novakovich and Harvey St Clair having spent time in England.

Transfer budget: £2,413,965
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 4th

Palermo

Palermo having spent a number of years in the top to leagues, got relegated down to Series D for the 2019-20 season after financial issues. Among the club’s accomplishments are a Coppa Italia Serie C, won in the 1992-93, and 5 Serie B league titles. It also appeared in 3 Italian Cup finals in 1973-74, in 1978-79 and in 2010-11. The club has made five appearances in European competitions, all in the UEFA Cup/Europa League. They are currently playing in Serie B, after having won the 2021-22 Serie C promotion playoffs. In recent times the club have been brought by City Football Group who have stakes in other clubs like Manchester City, Girona, New York City and Troyes. Argentinean stars Paulo Dybala and Javier Pastore arguably made their names at Palermo as youngsters.

Transfer budget: £1,551,834
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 11th

Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen, arguably feel like one of the bigger clubs in Germany, and are the nearly men of Germany as they are still yet to win the Bundesliga. They have been in the Bundesliga since 1979 and have only ever finished as runner-up in the Bundesliga 5 times without ever winning the competition, a record in German football. They have won the DFB-Pokal once in 1993 and also the UEFA Cup once in 1988. Bayer did come runner-up in the 2001-02 UEFA Champions League, losing to Real Madid in the final. With excellent facilities, can you help bring through the next big thing in Germany and get that first Bundesliga title!?

Transfer budget: £6,897,043
Remaining wage budget: £25,000
Predicted: 4th

Union Berlin

Union Berlin have been a surprise package since their promotion in 2019 to the Bundesliga, finishing 11th, 7th and 5th and getting back in to Europe after 20 years. The promotion in 2019 meant they reached the Bundesliga for the first time in their history. Union Berlin did spend a brief time at step 4 back in 2005-06 after back to back relegations. Union Berlin do have a relatively unique stadium where the majority of the stadium is for terracing and only a small percentage with only one stand being seated. They are currently the most inexperienced side in the Bundesliga as they enter their 4th season at this level, but in real life they are currently challenging the likes of giants Bayern Munich for the title. Talking of titles, Union Berlin’s only league title of note came in 2008-09 when they won 3. Liga.

Transfer budget: £862,130
Remaining wage budget: £16,500
Predicted: 15th

Kaiserslautern

1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern e. V., also known as 1. FCK or FCK (not F*CK!) are a founding member of the Bundesliga and are currently back in the 2. Bundesliga after a brief spell in 3. Liga. As a founding member of the Bundesliga, they managed to stay at the top level between 1963 to 1996 uninterrupted. They have won 4 German championships (old Bundesliga), 2 DFB-Pokals, and 1 DFL-Supercup. They are historically among the most successful football clubs in Germany, currently in 11th place in the all-time Bundesliga table. They have also payed in Europe reaching as far as the Quarter finals in the Champions League and getting to the UEFA Cup semi finals. Their first league title in the Bundesliga era was won in 1991. They then won the German championship in the 1997-98 season as a newly promoted team, which is unique in German football. After a 6 year spell in the 2. Bundesliga, in 2018 they were relegated to the 3. Liga for the first time. In 2022, Kaiserslautern was promoted again to the 2. Bundesliga through the promotion playoff. They have a stadium which can hold just under 50,000 people so the potential is there for this club to grow.

Transfer budget: £0
Remaining wage budget: £8,750
Predicted: 13th

Ingolstadt

A team that feels like it is too big for the level it is at are Ingolstadt in 3.Liga after a season in 2. Bundesliga. A fairly new team compared to most after being founded as recently as 2004, after the mergence of ESV Ingolstadt-Ringsee 1919 and MTV Ingolstadt 1881. In 2015, they clinched the 2014-15 2. Bundesliga title and won promotion for the first time in their history to the Bundesliga. They went on to finish 11th in the 2015-16 Bundesliga, before being relegated straight back to the 2. Bundesliga. Ralph Hasenhüttl was the manager of the fairly new club between 2013 and 2016 when they were in 2. Bundesliga.

Transfer budget: £0
Remaining wage budget: £5,500
Predicted: 2nd

Dynamo Dresden

Dynamo Dresden were founded in 1953 as a club affiliated with the East German police and quickly became one of the most popular and successful clubs in East German football, winning 8 league titles. Dynamo played 4 seasons in the top division in the  Bundesliga from 1991 to 1995, but have since drifted back down and between the second and fourth tiers and never quite been able to get back to those heights. The club were relegated from the 2. Bundesliga to the 3. Liga at the end of the 2019-20 season, but bounced straight back to the 2. Bundesliga by winning the 2020-21 3. Liga before going straight back down once again. (They do have a player I love to get when around that level in Oliver Batista Meier, even if his attributes don’t seem as good this year). Dresden have also played in Europe a number times, getting as far as the quarter finals of competitions a number of times and even reached the semi finals of the 1988-89 UEFA Cup.

Transfer budget: £0
Remaining wage budget: £3,900
Predicted: 1st

Nice

Nice were founded in 1904 and currently play in Ligue 1, and are also the joint 7th best team in France in terms of Ligue 1 titles. Nice have won the Ligue 1 4 times, the Trophee des Champions once and the Coupe de France 3 times, they achieved most of these honours in the 1950s, with their last taste of success coming in 1997 after winning the Coupe de France. Nice are also currently owned by Britain’s richest man after his takeover in 2019. He has managed to get in the likes of former FM wonderkid Kasper Dolberg, Adam Onous, Jean-Claire Todibo, Kasper Schmeichel and Aaron Ramsey as they look to add experience after qualifying for Europa Conference League. Nice are another team with a connection with England with around 10 of their players having previously played in England. The likes of Hugo Lloris, Mario Balotelli, David Ospina, Loic Remy and Hatem Ben Arfa have all previously played for Nice.

Transfer budget: £4,310,652
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 5th

Bordeaux

Bordeaux who was founded in 1881 and currently play in Ligue 2 after a few years of financial struggles and finished bottom of Ligue 1 last season. Despite the recent struggles, Bordeaux are one of the most successful football clubs in France. They have won 6 Division 1/Ligue 1 titles, with the last coming in 2009. Bordeaux have also won 4 Coupe de France titles, 3 Coupe de la Ligue titles, and 3 Trophée des champions titles as well. Bordeaux also reached the UEFA Cup final in 1996. The club also helped the emergence of young and exciting players such as playmaker Zinedine Zidane, Christophe Dugarry and Bixente Lizarazu. In 2009, the club would achieved their second double (first being the Ligue 1 and Coupe de France double in 1987) and defeating Vannes in the Coupe de la Liga final along with their Ligue 1 title. Their last major trophy would come in 2013, with a victory over Evian TG in the Coupe de France. This season could have started a whole lot worse for Bordeaux after they were briefly administratively relegated to the third tier of French football due to the ongoing financial problems, after winning their appeal they remained in Ligue 2.

Transfer budget: £862,130
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 2nd

FC Metz

Metz have been a consistent Ligue 1 side but have spent most of the past few years yo-yoing between the top 2 leagues. They have also briefly spent a season in the 3rd tier back in 2013. Despite never winning the top flight, they have gone on to win the Coupe de France twice and the Coupe de la Ligue twice. Metz are apart of a unique club in which French clubs have managed to beat Barcelona on their own patch, which they managed to do in 1984. Metz have also gained recognition in France and Europe for its successful youth academy, which has produced star players including Robert Pires, Louis Saha, Emmanuel Adebayor, Miralem Pjanić, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Sadio Mane. Metz did reach the final of the 1999 Intertoto Cup before losing to West Ham. Although Metz have never won the French championship, they did come a close second in 1998 narrowly finishing behind RC Lens.

Transfer budget: £775,917
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 1st

Le Havre

Le Havre is one of the oldest French football clubs after being founded in 1872. Le Havre made its football debut in France’s first-ever championship in 1899 and, on its debut, became the first French club outside Paris to win the league. The club won the league the following season in 1900. Le Havre has yet to win the current first division of French football, Ligue 1, but has participated in the league 24 times; the last being during the 2008-09 season. The club’s highest honour to date was winning the Coupe de France in 1959. They have won Ligue 2 a record 5 times coming in 1938, 1959, 1985, 1991 and 2008. Le Havre are another team that have a youth academy with good reputations in Europe, producing talent including Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet and Riyad Mahrez.

Transfer budget: £1,293,195
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 7th

Casa Pia

Casa Pia Atlético Clube or simply Casa Pia are multi-sports club founded in 1920 and based in Lisbon, Portugal. The club is named after Casa Pia, a Portuguese children’s charity. Casa Pia have been on something of a climb up through the leagues in recent times, promoted from Serie E of Terceira Divisão ( Step 5) in to Centre Group of Portuguese Second Division for the 2009-10 season as champions. They were promoted again to LigaPro in 2019. This is the first time in the clubs history to have played in the top level of Portugal in 83 years. Just a few months after its foundation, they won their first ever piece of silverware after beating Benfica, winning the Bronze Herculano Santos. In its debut season, Casa Pia FC won the double as they won the Lisbon Regional Championship and the Lisbon Cup without registering a single defeat.

Transfer budget: £86,213
Remaining wage budget: £1,700
Predicted: 11th

Anderlecht

Anderlecht are the most successful team in Belgium, both domestically and in Europe but have not won the league since 2017. They have gone on to win the top flight of Belgium 34 wins. They have also won 9 Belgian Cups and hold the record for most consecutive Belgian championship titles, winning 5 between the 1964 and 1968 seasons. Anderlecht are well known for developing youngsters with the likes of Youri Tielemans, Vincent Kompany and Romelu Lukaku all coming through. The current wave of prospects coming through include the likes of Yari Verschaeren, they do also have FM wonderkids Fabio Silva and Sebastiano Esposito leading the line for them, hang on to the youth and you can go back to dominating the league once again. Anderlecht have won the UEFA Europa League Once in 1983 and the old Cup winners cup twice back in 1976 and 1978, can you build a side that can go on to dominate the league and become a force in Europe?

Transfer budget: £2,155,326
Remaining wage budget: £15,000
Predicted: 3rd

Royale Union Saint-Gilloise

Royale Union Saint-Gilloise also known as Union SG or USG or simply Union, are back in the top flight of Belgian football after 48 years, they are also city rivals to Anderlecht, being a 10-15 minute drive from their stadium. Despite their time away from top flight football, they are one of the most successful in the history of Belgian football. The club have won 11 Belgian First Division titles between 1904 and 1935, they dominated Belgian football at the turn of the 20th century, winning 6 straight First Division titles between 1903 and 1910, making it the most successful Belgian club before World War II. Their first season back saw them finish top of the table at the end of the regular season, the first club in Belgian history to do so the season after promotion to the top flight. Union would go on to finish second in the champions play off, securing Champions League qualification for the first time ever in the clubs history. They do also have the smallest stadium in the league so the potential is there to build the club up and expand the stadium or build a new stadium further down the line. Winning 3 consecutive titles from 1932 to 1935, Saint-Gilloise embarked on a 60 game unbeaten run, a record that still stands to this day as the longest win streak in the history of Belgian football. Union were brought by Brighton owner Tony Bloom in 2018, which has seen Brighton loan players to Union and Deniz Undav joining Brighton more recently.

Transfer budget: £1,293,195
Remaining wage budget: £33,500
Predicted: 8th

Vitesse

Vitesse currently find themselves in the top flight of Dutch football and are one of the oldest clubs in Eredivisie after being founded in 1892. They had their most successful period in the 1990s. Their best result in the Eredivisie was 3rd place in 1998. They won the KNVB Cup as recently as 2017 and also reached the final in 1912, 1927, 1990 and 2021. Vitesse have seen a number of players come through the gates that have gone on to bigger things, the likes of  Philip Cocu, Roy Makaay, Sander Westerveld, Mahamadou Diarra and Nemanja Matić, Wilfried Bony, Robin Gosens and Mason Mount in more recent times. Despite never winning the top flight of football, they have also come runners up 5 times, 1897-98, 1902-03, 1912-13, 1913-14 and lastly in 1914-15. Vitesse are becoming regulars in European football, achieving it in 6 of the last 10 years. The club is famous for its youth academy, which is rated with the maximum of 4 Stars by the KNVB. Many players in Europe have played at Vitesse in the past including the likes of Roy Makaay, Robin Gosens, Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Davy Pröpper, Alexander Büttner, Marco van Ginkel and Erwin Mulder.

Transfer budget: £1,293,19
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 7th

Almere

Almere were formed in 2001 but as as FC Omniworld, it wasn’t until 2010 that they changed their name to Almere City Football Club. Although they can be traced back to 1959, known as as a number of different names and briefly playing in Amsterdam when known as De Zwarte Schapen. Almere as known, have never had a promotion or relegation, meaning they have been in Eerste Divisie since founded. Because of this they have no league or cup titles, meaning you have a clean slate to work with and create your own history and legacy with Almere. In their second match in 2010-11, they were defeated 12–1 by Sparta Rotterdam, who equalled Ajax’s Dutch league record win, with Johan Voskamp scoring a Jupiler League record 8 goals on his debut. In their short history they have reached the dizzy heights of 4th, just missing out on top flight football for the first time due to a goal line clearance in the Play Off Final in 2018. Vincent Janssen made his name at Almere with 29 goals in 69 games, before going on to AZ and also becoming an international footballer.

Transfer budget: £172,426
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 7th

Top Oss

TOP Oss compete in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of the Dutch football. Founded in 1928 as T.O.P., a Dutch abbreviation for Tot Ons Plezier (translates to – To our pleasure). TOP Oss have spent the last 30 plus years at step 2 with the exception of a year in the third tier, which they won and were instantly promoted back up in 2011. They became the first club to get relegated to the third tier of Dutch football in more than forty years, after the KNVB reformed the league structure to merge professional and amateur football leagues. The 2018-19 season was somewhat of a historical moment for the club as they had the best season in their existence. In that season they went on to break records records by finishing as high in the league table as 6th, finished with the most points ever in 62 and won the most games in a season with 18. 

Transfer budget: £8,274
Remaining wage budget: £475
Predicted: 13th

Galatasaray

Galatasaray are one of the biggest teams in Turkey and are also one of three teams to have participated in every season of the Süper Lig since 1959. As they are one of the biggest teams in Turkey means they have gone on to have success, they have won the most Süper Lig titles (22), Turkish Cup (18) and Turkish Super Cup (16) titles. Galatasaray have also won the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 2000, becoming the first and only Turkish team to win a major UEFA competition. In the 1999-2000 season, the club achieved the rare feat of completing a treble by winning the Süper Lig, the Turkish Cup, and the UEFA Cup in a single season. After poor season last season where they finished 13th, they have brought in a number of players to try and help them get back on top, the likes of Lucas Torreira, Juan Mata, Dries Mertens and Yusuf Demir join Mauro Icardi. The last time Galatasaray tasted success was in 2019, which proved a good year as they also went on to win the Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Cup in that year.

Transfer budget: £4,133,360
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 1st

Rapid Vienna

Sportklub Rapid Wien or Rapid Vienna once signed Maradona, no, not that one, his younger brother Hugo, back in 1990. Rapid Vienna are the most successful Austrian side, the challenge of this save, turn them in to a dominant force in Europe. Rapid Vienna are currently Austria’s record titleholder, lifting the trophy a record total 32 times, the club even won a German Championship and German Cup while part of that country’s football competition from 1938 to 1945. They won Austria’s first ever national championship in 1911-12 by a single point and went on to retain the title the following season. Rapid Vienna reached their first European final in 1985, losing in the Cup Winners’ Cup Final to Everton. 11 years later, in the same tournament’s final they lost to Paris Saint-Germain. They have been in Europe when they last reached the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in 2005-06. They eventually finished last in their group after losing all of their matches against Bayern Munich, Juventus and Club Brugge. Despite their seemingly dominant grip on the league, they have only ever finished as high as second place in the Austrian Bundesliga. Their last league title came in 2007-08!

Transfer budget: £2,586,390
Remaining wage budget: £4,900
Predicted: 4th

Olympiacos

Olympiacos are by far the best team in Greece, their domestic success sees them as the 9th best team in terms of for titles won. Olympiacos are the most successful club having won 47 League titles, 28 Cups, including 18 doubles and 4 Super Cups, totalling 79 national trophies. This compares to the other Greek clubs have won a combined total of 39 League titles. Olympiacos also holds the record for the most consecutive Greek League titles won, with 7 in a row in two occasions 1997-2003 and 2011-2017, breaking their own previous record of six consecutive wins in the 1950s 1954-1959. They are the only club in the world to ever win five consecutive titles on five separate occasions. They currently haver the likes of Cedric Bakambu, Marcelo and Mathieu Valbuena teaming up with former FM wonderkids James Rodriguez and Yann M’Vila. Olympiacos are one of the most well-supported clubs in the world. Can you dominate domestically whilst wining a trophy in Europe, something which they have never done.

Transfer budget: £1,724,260
Remaining wage budget: £25,000
Predicted: 1st

Aarhus

Aarhus Gymnastikforening or also known as AGF were formed in 1880 as a gymnastics club and began playing football in 1902. Although relatively unknown compared to the likes of Copenhagen, Nordsaelland, Midtylland, Brondby and even Aab, they have gone on to win 5 Danish Football Championships and a record 9 Danish Cups. In 1961, Aarhus reached the quarter finals of the European Cup where they were knocked out by Benfica. In 1989, Aarhus again reached a European quarterfinal, this time in the European Cup Winners’ Cup, where they lost on aggregate to later winners Barcelona. From 2000 the club experienced relegations in the 2005-06, 2009-10 and 2013-14 seasons. Each time they managed to return straight back to the top flight.

Transfer budget: £1,043,125
Remaining wage budget: £4,600
Predicted: 6th

FC Nordsjaelland

FC Nordjaelland were founded as Farum Boldklub from the merger of the town’s 2 football clubs Farum IK and Stavnsholt BK in 1991, the club went on to change its name to FC Nordsjaelland in 2003. They went on to winning their first medal in the 2002-03 season, taking 3rd place. Since then, they have made appearances in Europe under both the old UEFA Cup format in 2003-04, 2008-09 and in the UEFA Europa League during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. In 2010, the club won its first Danish Cup and successfully defended it the following year in 2011, beating Midtjylland in both finals. They went on the following year to win the Danish Superliga in 2012 for the first and only time in their history. In late 2015 the Rights To Dream Academy invested in FC Nordsjaelland and have since put emphasis on playing and bringing through youth players, because of this they currently have one of the youngest teams in Europe.

Transfer budget: £4,867,919
Remaining wage budget: £9,500
Predicted: 4th

Vojvodina

Vojvodina are based in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, the second largest city in Serbia and they are also one of the most popular clubs in the country. The club are currently the third oldest football club in the Serbian SuperLiga and the most successful football club in Serbia next to the rivals Crvena zvezda and Partizan Belgrade. Vojvodina have been a regular in the Europa League, getting as far as the play-off rounds and more recently playing in Europa Conference League. Vojvodina were one of the most successful clubs in the former Yugoslavia, winning 2 First League titles in 1966 and 1989 and finished 5th in the competition’s all-time table. Vojvodina were also runners-up in the Yugoslav Cup in 1951. They had success in Europe through winning the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1976, the Mitropa Cup in 1977 and were also runners-up of the Mitropa Cup in 1957 and the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1998. From 1993 to 1997, Vojvodina achieved in the national championship 3rd place five times in a row and were runners-up in the domestic cup in 1997. They were runners-up in the Serbian SuperLiga in 2008-09 Serbian SuperLiga. The first trophy Vojvodina won in recent times was the Serbian Cup 2014 and again in 2020.

Transfer budget: £275,880
Remaining wage budget: £3,600
Predicted: 7th

Charlotte FC

Charlotte FC are one of the latest sides to join the MLS, a league that seems to keep on expanding in recent seasons. Charlotte share their ground with NFL side Carolina Panthers. Even in their short history they have already broke a record, for the record for standalone match attendance, with 74,479 at their inaugural home match, it was also the second largest crowd to attend a match anywhere in the world in 2022. Charlotte are owned by David Tepper, the wealthiest owner in both the NFL and MLS, and also owns Carolina Panthers, hence the ground share. As of 2022 they became the 28th franchise to join the MLS. Charlotte have a couple of players people may recognise in Anton Walkes, Nathan Byrne and even Premier League winner Christian Fuchs.

Transfer budget: £6,519,439
Remaining wage budget: £0
Predicted: 28th

Macarthur

Macarthur Football Club were founded in 2017 and play in the A-League in Australia. The club’s origins are from the merging of two separate bids during the league’s expansion process in 2018, United for Macarthur and South West Sydney FC. The two joined forces in 2018 to create Macarthur South West United Football Club, later to become Macarthur FC. They are nicknamed the bulls, which is also on the badge, due to the region where a runaway herd of cattle was discovered in its past. In real life they are currently managed by Dwight Yorke and in 2022 won the Australia Cup, which won’t be on their history on FM, so you have a blank canvas to work with and go on to create your own history with one of the newest teams in Australia.

Transfer budget: £1,311,003
Remaining wage budget: £37,000
Predicted: 8th

Velez

Velez are probably one of those teams that you always check for wonderkids on FM along with their superb youth facilities. Founded in 1910, they are one of the most successful clubs in Argentine football, Velez had their first major success in 1968, when they won the league championship, and subsequently on a more regular basis between 1970 and 1990. The club have enjoyed their greatest period of success in the past two decades, winning 15 trophies since 1993. Domestically, Velez have won 10 Primera Division titles, while in continental competitions have won 5 international cups, including both the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup. They are also only one of eight teams to have won CONMEBOL’s treble. Despite being one of Argentina’s most successful teams, that have not won a league title since 2012-13.

Transfer budget: £0
Remaining wage budget: £25,000
Predicted: 4th

São Paulo

São Paulo, who were founded in 1930, are one of just three clubs to have never been relegated from the Série A, the others being Flamengo and Santos. São Paulo are also one of the most successful teams in Brazil with 22 state titles, 6 Brasileirão titles, 3 Copa Libertadores titles, 1 Copa Sudamericana, 1 Supercopa Libertadores, 1 Copa CONMEBOL, 1 Copa Masters CONMEBOL, 2 Recopa Sudamericanas, 2 Intercontinental Cup and 1 FIFA Club World Cup. In 2021, São Paulo finally ended its second biggest dry spell in its history of 8 years as the club defeated rivals Palmeiras in the Campeonato Paulista finals, winning the competition for the first time since 2005. The likes of Kaka and Julio Baptista, remember him Arsenal Fans?, have come through the youth team at São Paulo. Some may remember the name Rogério Ceni, no? He was a player for São Paulo between 1993 and 2015, he went on to score 131 goals in his career, as a GOALKEEPER!

Transfer budget: £1,340,456
Remaining wage budget: £27,000
Predicted: 8th

Club budgets and predicted finishes may vary as these were done during the beta.

Thanks for reading!