50 best footballers in the world ranked according to Football Manager 2022

And as expected, players like Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Kevin De Bruyne are ranked among the very best players in world football, but Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has slipped down the list compared to last year, where he was named as the second-best player in the world behind Messi.

The Football Manager 2022 database contains data on over 800,000 players and staff, and with more than 50 countries to manage in, the game offers an incredibly detailed and immersive experience.

FM has grown to become more than just a game and has embedded itself in the football industry; the FM database is used by several clubs to help shape their recruitment strategies and thousands of professional footballers and backroom staff members are committed fans of the game

Using FM22’s reputable database, we’ve compiled the defining list of the very best 50 players in world football, ranking them by their current ability (CA) in-game.

The top 50 players in the world ranked by FM22

If you’re new to the Football Manager series, each player in the FM database is given a value out of 200 for both Current Ability (how good they are now) and Potential Ability (how good they can become).

We have taken the top 50 players by Current Ability (CA) on FM22 and ranked them, and there’s one player who’s well clear of the rest.

1. Lionel Messi – Paris Saint-Germain (194/200)
2. Robert Lewandowski – FC Bayern Munchen (190/200)
3. Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City (188/200)
4. Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur (184/200)
5. Mohamed Salah – Liverpool (184/200)
6. Kylian Mbappe – Paris Saint-Germain 9184/200)
7. Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester UFC (182/200)
8. Karim Benzema – R. Madrid (180/200)
9. Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool (180/200)
10. Neymar – Paris Saint-Germain (180/200)
11. Joshua Kimmich – FC Bayern Munchen (178/200)
12. Manuel Neuer – FC Bayern Munchen (178/200)
13. Erling Haaland – Borussia Dortmund (177/200)
14. Sadio Mane – Liverpool (177/200)
15. Romelu Lukaku – Chelsea (177/200)
16. Jan Oblak – A. Madrid (176/200)
17. Thibaut Courtois – R. Madrid (175/200)
18. Alisson – Liverpool (174/200)
19. Marc-Andre ter Stegen – Barcelona (174/200)
20. Bruno Fernandes – Manchester UFC (172/200)
21. Heung-Min Son – Tottenham Hotspur (172/200)
22. Luka Modric – R. Madrid (171/200)
23. Thomas Muller – FC Bayern Munchen (170/200)
24. Sergio Ramos – Paris Saint-Germain (170/200)
25. Bernardo Silva – Manchester City (170/200)
26. Ederson – Manchester City (170/200)
27. Toni Kroos – R. Madrid (169/200)
28. Ruben Dias – Manchester City (169/200)
29. Sergio Aguero – Barcelona (169/200)
30. Jack Grealish – Manchester City (168/200)
31. Paul Pogba – Manchester UFC (168/200)
32. Aymeric Laporte – Manchester City (168/200)
33. Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid (168/200)
34. Raheem Sterling – Manchester City (167/200)
35. Leroy Sane – FC Bayern Munchen (167/200)
36. Casemiro – R. Madrid (167/200)
37. Lautaro Martinez – FC Internazionale Milano (167/200)
38. Paulo Dybala – Zebre (166/200)
39. N’Golo Kante – Chelsea (166/200)
40. Luis Suarez – A. Madrid (166/200)
41. Eden Hazard – R. Madrid (166/200)
42. Raphael Varane – Manchester UFC (165/200)
43. Leon Goretzka – FC Bayern Munchen (165/200)
44. Fabinho – Liverpool (164/200)
45. David Alaba – R. Madrid (164/200)
46. Fernandinho – Manchester City (164/200)
47. Thiago – Liverpool (164/200)
48. Ciro Immobile – S.S. Lazio (164/200)
49. Angel Di Maria – Paris Saint-Germain (164/200)
50. Frenkie de Jong – Barcelona (164/200)

Football Manager 2022 is out now on all platforms including PC, Mac, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Mobile devices, with Football Manager 2022 Touch also available now on Nintendo Switch.

FM22 and FM22 Xbox Edition will also be available with Xbox Game Pass from Day One when both titles launch on November 9, 2021.

FM22 has a number of new features including a brand new animation engine, an updated Match AI, a new Data Hub, a revamped transfer market, updated Fantasy Draft mode, more customisation options, more varied player chats and much, much more.