Football Manager either eerily predicts the future by using a crystal ball or gets it completely wrong. For every Sergio Aguero, there's a Freddy Adu - there's never really an in between.
And so with the worldwide release of FM2020 on Tuesday, YouTuber GoldenFM has conducted a detailed experiment to see how the footballing landscape looks ten years down the line in 2029.
As expected, it threw up some very interesting results when it came to the world's top players.
Lionel Messi:
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It's a common view in football that Messi could play for another ten years but in this FM save Messi calls time on his glittering career in 2025, eventually taking on a coaching role with Spanish side Osasuna in 2029.
Cristiano Ronaldo:
Messi's fellow-five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo hangs up his boots a year before Messi and incredibly, finds himself managing Leeds United by the time 2029 rolls around.
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Prior to that, the Portuguese superstar takes charge of Hull City, Sheffield United and Reading.
Mo Salah:
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The Egyptian King becomes a 'Galactico' in 2020 after sealing a monstrous £127 million move to Real Madrid, where he remains a key player at the age of 36.
Harry Kane:
The England skipper becomes his country's all-time top scorer after reaching 70 international goals and remains a one-club man with Tottenham Hotspur. What's more, he scores 241 Premier League goals for Spurs.
Virgil van Dijk:
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The Dutch defender doesn't stick around too long at Liverpool, who sell him for £36 million to Paris Saint-Germain in 2020. By 2029, Van Dijk is assistant manager of Bordeaux's second side.
Lautaro Martinez:
The Argentine frontman Martinez goes on to score 142 goals in 281 games for Manchester United after joining in a £77 million move from Inter Milan.
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Erling Haaland:
One of the most exciting young strikers in world football at present, the Norwegian stays at Red Bull Salzburg until 2023 before joining United in a £20 million move.
He scores 21 goals in a single season before Atletico Madrid snap him up for £50 million.
Jadon Sancho:
Liverpool sell Salah in 2020 but they bring in an adequate replacement a year later in Borussia Dortmund boy-wonder Jadon Sancho, who joins for £77 million.
The former Manchester City and Watford youth player then ends up playing with Salah at Real Madrid after they splashed out £104 million to secure his signature in 2025.
Kai Havertz:
Another Bundesliga talent to end up in La Liga, the German is a revelation at Barcelona after completing an £81 million transfer in 2022.
Thibaut Courtois:
He's had a lot of difficulty in real life but ten years on in FM, the Belgian shotstopper remains Real Madrid's No.1 in between the sticks.
Kylian Mbappe:
The Frenchman proves he's a generational talent at PSG and is still plying his trade in the French capital in 2029. He's won the World Player of the Year award on two occasions.
Trent Alexander-Arnold:
The rampaging right-back is still at Liverpool and also establishes himself as England's first-choice on the right side of the backline, having been capped 84 times.
Andy Robertson:
Unlike his aforementioned teammate, Robertson does not remain at Anfield. He gets replaced by compatriot Kieran Tierney and becomes a bit of a journeyman, turning out for Saudi Arabian side Al-Hila, Al-Sadd in Qatar and then Israeli outfit Maccabi Haifa.
Joao Felix:
The Portuguese sensation moves to England with Manchester City for £83 million in 2022 before excelling on his return to La Liga - notching 83 goals in 163 games for Barcelona after getting himself a £146 million move.
Raheem Sterling:
Sterling continues to be a key player for club and country. Aged 34, he has bagged 45 goals in 165 caps for England and is still producing the goods for Manchester City.
Marcus Rashford:
The boyhood United fan moves down South when he joins Chelsea for a whopping £122 million fee in 2021, but moves to Juventus four seasons later for £85 million after things don't quite work out.
Bernardo Silva:
The Portuguese playmaker wins the World Player of the Year award twice in a row and remains a Manchester City player in 2029.
Topics: gaming news, Football News, GAMING, Football Manager, FM 2020, Football, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo