Hundreds of thousands of players are profiled across many of the world’s professional leagues in the Football Manager 20 video game, creating an entire universe worth discovering.
The Canadian Premier League was the latest outfit to get the Football Manager treatment this season, when CPL players, clubs, kits, and crests were officially added by Sports Interactive, the game’s publisher.
Thus, just as Canadian professional players are being defined for the first time in real life – via OneSoccer broadcasts, profiles on CanPL.ca, and beyond – were they were also being defined in the virtual football world.
So, let’s take a look at these virtual avatars, which were rated by various North American scouts, and how they stack up to the real-life player.
Oh, and to clarify: Football Manager’s attribute system runs from 1-20, with the world’s best players boasting individual stats such as “Pace” or “Finishing” in the high teens. For context, a top CPLer will typically land in the mid-teens in any one attribute.
RELATED READING: Creating a CPL all-star game in Football Manager 20
Kyle Bekker – Forge FC
While still an accomplished box-to-box midfielder in-game, there’s something lacking in Kyle Bekker’s profile. That didn’t stop CanPL.ca’s Charlie O’Connor-Clarke from selecting Bekker first overall in our FM20-CPL Draft, of course.
Bekker is, objectively, the best playmaker, best attacking midfielder, and all-around centre-of-the-park operator in the CPL – but none of his attributes jump at you in the video game. Good at many things, sure, but I’d like his passing and mental stats to get a serious boost before considering this accurate for a CPL Player of the Year nominee.
Easton Ongaro – FC Edmonton
What Easton Ongaro is able to do in-game is overpowered.
His six-foot-six frame, combined with fantastic “Jumping Reach” and “Heading,” makes it almost impossible for another CPLer to win a ball in the air against Ongaro. Valour’s Andrew Jean-Baptiste and HFX Wanderers’ Jems Geffrard have the physical ability in-game to challenge him, but after that, there’s virtually no one.
David Edgar – Forge FC
Is David Edgar the best Canadian in the CPL right now?
Accurate or not, the 32-year-old is pegged as the best Canadian defender and midfielder in FM20. Strong mental stats, likely linked to his Premier League career, give him an exponential in-game boost. Strong “Marking” and “Tackling” stats help his best-of-the-best status, of course.
Diyaeddine Abzi – York9 FC
A peek behind the curtain (aka FM20’s in-game editor) shows Diyaeddine Abzi has one of the greatest potentials of any CPL player, just behind Marco Carducci. If the stars align development-wise, FM20 projects Abzi would surpass the current skill level of Montreal Impact starter and Canadian national team midfielder Samuel Piette.
While believable, this leaves us wondering if other CPLers could have higher or comparable ceilings? Young strikers Terran Campbell and the recently-departed Tyler Attardo, who had similar breakout campaigns to Abzi in Year 1, have just under two-thirds of Abzi’s development potential. Is that fair?
Marco Bustos – Pacific FC
“Marco, you need to contact the game about this.”
That’s all Charlie O’Connor-Clarke could say about seeing Marco Bustos’ FM20 page. It’s true. In overall ability, the Pacific FC wide man lands somewhere between the 30th and 50th most-talented CPLers in FM20. That can’t be fair to the off-season’s most sought-after free agent.
His “Finishing” is 11? You can’t do that to a guy who can do this.
Jair Cordova – Cavalry FC
Is Cavalry FC’s incoming striker the best CPLer signed for 2020? FM20 thinks so, and so did I after picking the Peruvian second overall in our CanPL-FM20 Draft. His attributes are impressive; best “Finishing” ability in the league, above-average at all other key attacking attributes, and good mental stats for a 23-year-old. But is he that good in real life? We’ll have to wait and see.
Ben Fisk – Atlético Ottawa
With a commendable five goals and five assists in 2019, FM20 is not giving Fisk much in either the play-creation or scoring departments. Fisk’s physical rundown is flattering and somewhat more accurate. There’s lots to like abut Ottawa’s crown jewel signing, at least in this video game.
Louis Beland-Goyette – HFX Wanderers
If you’re building a CPL side in FM20, pick up LBG as soon as you can. Exceptional potential hides behind his here-and-now ability as a box-to-box midfielder. “Stamina, Pace, Teamwork, Passing” — he has it all.
Looking for more proof? Check out his performance in CanPL.ca’s pseudo all-star game.
Arnold Bouka Mouto – Valour FC
Is Arnold Bouka Moutou the biggest signing in CPL history? His FM20 profile matches such a claim.
The only fullback with top-level “Pace,” “Tackling,” and “Marking” stats, Moutou’s recent time with Ligue 1 side Dijon FCO certainly helps his high ranking. Though, without having seen him match up with CPL right wingers, perhaps it’s too early to judge his real-life ability.