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Anyone interested in the nitty-gritty of managing the biggest football clubs must be familiar with the famous football-management simulation franchise Football Manager (FM).
The developers, Sports Interactive, have recently released the Main Winter update for Football Manager 2022 - the latest iteration of the award-winning game. As always, the update has introduced all the winter transfers and refreshed the attributes of the players, which has had a significant impact on player rankings.
The biggest shock of the lot has to be the plummeting stock of Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo. The 37-year-old, who has struggled to get going this season, was previously the seventh-best player on FM 2022. Now, following the update, he has dropped down to the 33rd position, with his ability plunging from 182 to 167 out of 200.
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There are a couple of other reshuffles to talk about, but we wouldn’t want to spoil them so early on.
Below, we will learn how the Winter Update has affected the best players in Football Manager 2022. Here are the top five players in the most popular football management simulation game right now (2022):
#5 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - 184 points
With an ability rating of 184 out of 200, Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah is the fifth-best player in Football Manager 2022 right now. The Egypt international has enjoyed an exceptional campaign with the Reds so far, which has been fairly reflected in his FM 2022 rating.
Since the start of the season, the star forward has played in 24 Premier League games for the 19-time English champions. He has registered 19 goals and 10 assists, emerging as the league’s leading scorer and joint-leading assist provider.
The 29-year-old has also been in imperious form in the Champions League, bagging eight goals in seven appearances.
#4 Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) - 186 points
Before the winter refresh, Paris Saint-Germain superstar Lionel Messi was the undisputed king of FM 2022, with an ability rating of 194 out of 200.
However, his inability to score as many goals for PSG has taken a tangible toll on that number and his new ranking.
Following the update, Messi’s ability rating has dropped to 186, making him the fourth-best player in the game.
Since moving to PSG on a free transfer from Barcelona at the start of the season, the Argentine has scored only seven goals across all competitions, with only two of them coming in Ligue 1.
While he has clearly been a little goal-shy this season, his ability to create chances for his teammates has only increased.
The 34-year-old has 11 assists to his name in 23 games in all competitions, emerging as the team’s second-leading assist provider behind his teammate Kylian Mbappe.
#3 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - 186 points
Sitting just ahead of Lionel Messi is his PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe with an identical ability rating of 186 out of 200. The Frenchman has been colossal for the Parisiens this season, always stepping up to the task when required.
With Neymar missing the majority of the season with an ankle injury and Messi struggling to score, Mbappe has popped up as PSG’s leading scorer. In 34 appearances across all competitions, the France international has scored 24 times for the French outfit, often winning games single-handedly.
His match-winning solo goal against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 was a testament to his undeniable quality.
He has also been a lot more selfless in the final-third this season, rarely squandering opportunities to set up his teammates.
The 23-year-old has registered 17 assists in the 2021-22 campaign, which has made him the team’s leading assist provider as well.
#2 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) - 187 points
The only midfielder on this list, Kevin de Bruyne, is currently the second-best player on FM 2022. With an ability rating of 187 out of 200, he is by far the best midfielder in the game.
Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich, who sits in 12th place with a rating of 178, is his nearest competitor from the list of midfielders.
The Belgium international is a player of many abilities. He carries the ball well, passes immaculately, and knows how to keep his nerves in check in big games. To top it off, he is an excellent shooter of the ball and is known to catch his opponents off-guard with accurate long-rangers.
The Manchester City star has featured in 30 games for his club this season, recording eight goals and seven assists.
#1 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) - 190 points
Arguably the best player in the world right now, Robert Lewandowski, sits at the top, and deservedly so. With an ability rating of 190 out of 200, he is FM 2022’s most skillful and desirable player.
Over the last three years, the Bayern Munich ace has been in a league of his own. He has scored for fun, delivered when it mattered the most, and has always kept his feet on the ground.
The two-time The "Best FIFA Men’s Player" award winner has netted 28 goals in 24 Bundesliga games this season.
He has scored nine more and provided two assists in seven Champions League matches, making him the second-leading player in the premier European competition in the current campaign.
Lewandowski may not be as marketable as some of the other footballers out there, but his ability remains undeniable.
If he keeps up his good form and inspires Bayern to another Champions League final, we wouldn’t be surprised to see him lift the coveted Ballon d’Or at the end of the year.
Also Read: 5 world-class footballers whose contributions cannot be defined by stats
